Bangladesh's Chattogram Port mulls 70-100% tariff hike; bizs worried
Bangladesh’s Chattogram Port Authority is mulling over a steep 70-100 per cent hike in cargo handling tariffs, and this is a major cause of concern for importers, exporters and economists, who feel the move may drive up prices of essential commodities.
At a June 2 meeting at the shipping ministry, officials debated the long-pending tariff adjustment, with shipping adviser Brig. Gen. (retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain pushing for a final decision by month's end. Twenty eight government and private organisations participated in the meeting.
Stakeholders have been asked to submit written feedback ahead of a decisive meeting later this month, a domestic media outlet reported.
The port's chief personnel officer and spokesperson Nasir Uddin defended the proposal, saying as tariffs haven't been revised since 1986, the hike will help cover rising operational costs and fund service improvements.
The revision spans nearly 50 services, including port dues, berthing fees, forklift charges and utility costs. While five services saw minor updates in fiscal 2007-08, the rest have not been revised since the eighties.
Port officials argue that Chattogram's fees remain far below regional peers. Despite robust earnings, officials cite rising operational costs as justification for higher tariffs.
Business leaders, however, call the move ill-timed, as businesses are already facing currency depreciation, freight costs and weak demand. Importers say the hike would compound existing struggles. Exporters, particularly in the garment sector, fear losing competitiveness.
A sharp tariff spike could also badly hit supply chains, exacerbating food inflation and squeezing low- and middle-income families, it is feared.
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