Bangladesh's main sea port starts operation partially

Bangladesh's Chittagong port, which handles 90 percent of export import trades and was completely closed on Saturday, started partial operation on Sunday as two shipping companies lifted their boycott of the port following a court ruling that surcharge on containers was illegal.

Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Hafizzuddin Ahmed said on Sunday after a meeting with port users and others concerned at his office he hoped that others will follow the two shipping companies to resume work.

Shipping companies started a boycott of the Chittagong port in southern Malaysia after a Bangladeshi court gave ruling in favor of textile units that a 130-dollar surcharge imposed in June by the shipping companies on every six-meter-long container was illegal.

The shipping companies said the surcharge was essential to recover costs caused by overstay at the port following congestion.

Port sources said 17,000 containers were on the port yard now, causing a huge congestion in the port.

The shipping companies withdrew the boycott as the textile companies agreed to withdraw the case.

Source: Xinhua