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The Shippers' Council of Bangladesh held an emergency meeting recently to address the recent congestion of containers and ships at Chittagong Port caused by frequent hartal and consequent delay in loading and unloading of cargoes.
Directors of the council reiterated their earlier decision that the sea port which is the centre of the country's economic activities should be kept out of the purview of hartal, so that the country's economic growth is not hampered.
The Shippers' Council observed that 90 per cent of the country's total export and import cargoes including those of northern and southern zones move through the port aggravating the congestion.
But the inland transportation of cargoes from Chittagong to northern and western zones and vice versa is time-consuming and expensive.
In this context the Shippers' Council directors and office bearers appealed to the exporters and importers of northern and southern zones of the country to carry their export and import cargoes through Mongla Port to reduce the congestion at Chittagong Port. On the other hand, it will help utilise all the facilities of Mongla Port.
In this way the balanced development of both the seaports could be ensured and the country's export-led economy will thrive. The Mongla Port authority is now ready to offer all required facilities to the importers and exporters, they observed.
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