The delivery of imported and exportable goods at Mongla port has severely disrupted due to latest spell of countrywide blockade that started on Saturday.
Around 1,000 containers of various kinds of goods worth over Tk 3,500 crore have remained stranded at the wharfs. The containers lying stranded at the wharfs contained imported machineries, spare parts, gas containers and electronic goods.
Assistant traffic manager of Mongla Port Mostofa Kamal on Thursday told the news agency that only 375 boxes of containers could be discharged from the port in last 24 hours ending this morning, while around 129 boxes were still lying on the port yards which are waiting discharge.
Meanwhile, at least 561 containers having exportable frozen shrimps and jute goods worth over Tk 1000 crore are also lying stranded at the port yards for shipment to Singapore flag bearer ship ‘KOTA RAKHAN.’
Abdul Baki, ex-vice president of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association, said exporters could not send their shrimp-laden containers to the port from their factories due to continuous blockade.
‘Exporters have sent shrimp and jute goods in last two days with the help of police squad,’ he said.
Other than the setback of not getting timely delivery of goods, the importers and exporters will have to bear additional storage and detention charges, imposed by Mongla Port Authority and the shipping lines respectively for overstaying, he added.
Vice-president of Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industries Saiful Islam said businessmen who used Mongla port were now urging the port authorities to exempt them from paying the storage charges. They will send a letter to the shipping minister in this connection, he said.
The port’s traffic manager Md Mahbub Ullah said blockade did not paralyse internal activities of the Mongla port.
‘Huge imported goods including electronics goods, iron pipe and blanket have been delivered through waterways and a number of frozen shrimps and jute goods also are lying at the yards for loading on the ships,’ he said.
MPA chairman Habibur Rahman said another Singapore flag bearer ship was likely to arrive at the port by next week to load exportable frozen shrimps.
Businessmen are bringing their goods with vehicles at the port yards with the help of law enforcement agency during the blockade and hartal he said, adding that the political unrest left a little impact on the Mongla port activities, he added.
-With New Age input
