CHATTOGRAM, Aug 12: Freight train operations were restarted on Sunday night from Chattogram Port to Kamalapur ICD after 23 days.
According to Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) sources, two freight trains moved on Sunday night carrying 50 TEUs of containers from CPA yards to Kamalapur ICD while two other trains ran on Monday with 46 TEUs of containers.
Mohammad Omar Faruk, Secretary of CPA said that the movement of containers towards the Kamalapur ICD resumed after 23 days of suspension.
As a result, over 3,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units) of Kamalapur ICD bound container stockpiled in CPA yards.
The movement of cargo and containers have been facing disruption as the train service had been suspended since July 18 last.
The trains of Bangladesh Railway were scheduled to carry containers to Kamalapur ICD from Chattogram Port.
Following the suspension of train movement the Chattogram Port is facing congestion of containers bound for Kamalapur ICD.
The port's yard is currently stockpiled with over 3,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot equivalent units) of Kamalapur ICD-bound containers, much higher from its capacity of 876 TEUs.
However, train operations were completely halted from July 19 following the imposition of the curfew. Finally, after 13 days, limited train services resumed on August 1.
At that time, the Ministry of Railways announced that Bangladesh Railway had decided to operate short-distance trains from August 1.
These trains would run during the relaxed hours of the curfew. Long-distance intercity trains would not operate yet. But the short distance service did not resume.
The operational activities of Chattogram Port had resumed on August 6 last in full swing after disruption of 18 days following the continuous movement of the anti-discrimination by the students.
The operational activities of CPA had been disrupted since July 18 last due to countrywide anti-quota movement of the students.
In most cases delivery of both cargo and containers has been disrupted severely. As a result, the shifting of both import and export has been halted.
For this reason, the maritime trade of the country has been badly affected.
