Container handling at Chattogram Port experienced significant growth in May 2024 compared to the previous month. According to the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), exports saw a remarkable increase of 24.46%, while imports rose by 10.10% during this period.

Comparing May 2024 to the same month in 2023, container handling exhibited a positive trend. Exports surged by 22%, and imports grew by 10.36%. In May 2024, Chattogram Port efficiently managed 64,523 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of export containers and 130,000 TEUs of import containers. These figures represent a substantial improvement over April 2024, where exports accounted for 48,737 TEUs and imports hovered around 117,000 TEUs.

Traders and port officials attribute this positive development to the gradual easing of the dollar crisis, which has positively impacted import and export rates. Mohammed Shamsul Azam, director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), highlighted that many garment owners ramped up shipments in May ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha holidays, contributing to the surge in export volume.

Chattogram Port plays a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s trade landscape. Nearly all goods exported through the port are loaded at 19 private inland container depots in Chattogram. These depots also handle the delivery of 38 types of imported products, including essential items like food.

Ruhul Amin Shikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association, emphasized the increasing volume of export products in inland container depots. With exports growing by 10% each month in 2024, the rate of shipment of export goods from these depots has also risen significantly.

Chattogram Port remains a critical hub, handling approximately 92% of the country’s import and export trade. Furthermore, it facilitates the transportation of about 98% of cargo containers across all seaports in Bangladesh, with containers accounting for 25% of the goods imported and exported through this vital port