Around 2.3 million tonnes of essential commodities remain stuck on 46 ships at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage, as a surge in pre-Ramadan imports has put severe pressure on the country’s supply chain, causing delays in unloading.
Port officials said imports of essentials have surpassed all previous records this year, overwhelming the system from large mother vessels to factories and warehouses.
The situation has been exacerbated by an acute shortage of lighter vessels used for inland river transport, alongside inadequate storage facilities of many new importers.
According to port data, of the 104 cargo vessels anchored offshore as of Tuesday, 46 were carrying essentials totalling 2.346 million tonnes—nearly double the volume recorded during the same period last year. By Tuesday morning, about 1.05 million tonnes had been unloaded, while nearly 1.3 million tonnes remained pending.
Wheat dominates the imports, with 25 ships carrying about 1.35 million tonnes, followed by pulses and oilseeds. However, a sharp decline in the number of operational lighter vessels—from around 1,200 to just over 1,000—has intensified congestion. As of January 25, more than 260 lighter vessels were reportedly stuck at different river ports, many for weeks.
Officials of the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (WTCC) warned that unless importers expedite unloading and storage, the pressure on the supply system could worsen further ahead of Ramadan.
NSA
