The Chittagong port yards now have close to 40,000 teu of containers, mainly loaded with imports, piling up, following nearly a week of student protests that led to a highway blockade, curfew and internet restrictions.
And importers are facing huge demurrage charges for keeping containers at the port yards for more than four days – which they consider yet another blow after huge financial losses from factory closures and failures to ship goods on time.
According to a port official, importers can keep boxes free-of-charge for four days after unloading from vessels. From the fifth day, they are charged $6 a day for a 20ft container, which rises to $12 from 12 days in and $24 from 21 days – double for a 40ft box.
Businesses have demanded that the government waive the charges to help lessen the pain.
