CHATTOGRAM, Jan 26 More than 720 lighter vessels loaded with around 12 lakh tonnes of imported Ramadan essentials have been left floating for months in the Bay of Bengal, raising fears of an artificial and syndicated supply crisis ahead of the holy month to milk hefty profit.
Port, shipping and trading sources allege that the cargo-owned by six major importing groups-has been deliberately held back to manipulate supply and cash in on higher prices during Ramadan.
The stranded goods include wheat, maize, soybean, chickpeas, lentils, edible oil, sugar, fertiliser, bitumen and poultry feed-items that see a surge in demand during Ramadan. The importers named by industry insiders include Akiz Group, Nabil Group, TK Group, Meghna Group, City Group and Bashundhara Group, though the companies deny wrongdoing.
Out of around 1,200 lighter vessels operating nationwide, nearly half are now tied up with imported cargo, creating an acute shortage of lighterage support at the port, triggering severe congestion at Chattogram Port too. As a result, the normal lightering process-moving cargo from deep-sea mother vessels to ports and river terminals-has been badly disrupted.
Under normal conditions, a lighter vessel unloads a ship within 10 to 15 days. That timeframe has now stretched to 30-40 days, with many vessels remaining idle in sea and river channels.
* Six importers are: Akiz Group, Nabil Group, TK Group, Meghna Group, City Group, and Bashundara Group
* 720 lighter vessels with 12 lakh tons of Ramadan items
* Over 176 mother vessels on board 60 lakh MT cargo stranded at Outer Anchorage of Ctg Port
* Shipping ministry officials said stockpiling by large importers and an outdated unloading system has pushed the port's lightering
capacity to breaking point
* Goods include wheat, maize,
soybean, chickpeas, lentils, edible oil, sugar, fertiliser, bitumen and poultry feed
* WTCC sources blamed the
shortage on the diversion of lighter vessels to Mongla and Payra ports, as well as Indian routes.
* Of the 1,020 registered lighterage vessels, at least 720 are now stuck at 41 ghats, including 51 vessels carrying government-imported fertiliser.
The ripple effect has been severe. According to Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) data, 176 mother vessels carrying more than 60 lakh tonnes of cargo are currently anchored idle at the port's outer anchorage due to a lack of lighter vessels.
Of these, 61 ships are carrying essential commodities, including 24 vessels loaded with about 12 lakh tonnes of Ramadan-related food items. Another five ships carry over 2 lakh tonnes of sugar, while others are loaded with fertiliser, cement clinker, bitumen, ceramic raw materials and poultry feed.
Port officials say that a 50,000-tonne mother vessel, which would normally complete discharge within seven to 10 days, is now waiting 20 to 30 days, with some unable to unload at all for days.
CPA officials explained that due to shallow draft limitations, mother vessels cannot directly enter the port channel. Cargo must first be transferred to lighter vessels before entering the port-making lighterage a critical link in the supply chain.
The Water Transport Coordination Cell (WTCC), the authority responsible for allocating lighter vessels, said demand currently far exceeds supply. Officials admitted they can meet only about half of the daily demand.
WTCC sources blamed the shortage on the diversion of lighter vessels to Mongla and Payra ports, as well as Indian routes. Of the 1,020 registered lighterage vessels, at least 720 are now stuck at 41 ghats across the country, including 51 vessels carrying government-imported fertiliser.
Delays in bagging fertiliser, shortages of trucks and labour, and congestion at government warehouses have prevented these vessels from unloading and returning to service. As a result, even 10 government fertiliser vessels have been waiting for more than a week without lighterage support, raising concerns over agricultural supply.
Business circles allege that some importers are using lighter vessels as "floating godowns", holding Ramadan goods offshore to create artificial shortages. Once prices rise, they release the goods, reaping windfall profits at consumers' expense.
With Ramadan approaching fast, traders warn that prolonged disruption at Chattogram could tighten wholesale supplies nationwide and push up prices of essential food items.
Port users say the situation has moved beyond routine congestion and now threatens national supply-chain stability, calling for urgent and coordinated intervention.
The crisis has prompted action from the Ministry of Shipping, which recently issued a five-day ultimatum to clear the stranded cargo or face legal consequences. Senior ministry officials held an emergency meeting with port users and major importers, warning of criminal cases for non-compliance.
The ministry has formed multiple task forces, led by executive magistrates, to crack down on irregularities in unloading, storage and transportation.
Three task forces are already operating in Khulna, Narayanganj and Munshiganj, with instructions to conduct daily drives and file cases against deliberate delays and hoarding.
Shipping ministry officials said a combination of stockpiling by large importers, uncontrolled imports and an outdated, largely manual unloading system has pushed the port's lightering capacity to breaking point.
Once cargo reaches river ports, it should normally move to depots within one to one-and-a-half days.
The real bottleneck begins during unloading-especially for bulk commodities like wheat, which must be manually bagged, stitched and loaded onto trucks.
With no dedicated warehouses in many areas, goods often move straight into congested markets. Even with 60 labourers working continuously, unloading a single lighter vessel can take 10 to 12 days. With mechanised systems, the same work could be done in four days.
Officials said one major importer alone has kept around 80 vessels idle, carrying fertiliser, edible oil, wheat and sugar. Under existing rules, importers are allowed a 12-day grace period to unload cargo. Delays beyond that attract demurrage of Tk7 per tonne per day, costs that ultimately get passed on to consumers.
As enforcement tightens, authorities warn that failure to clear the backlog swiftly could fuel price hikes just as millions prepare for Ramadan-an outcome they say must be avoided at all costs.
