Tue Nov 05 00:05:36 UTC 2024: ## Chattogram Port Sees Mixed Results in October: Imports Up, Exports Down
**Chattogram, Bangladesh:** The country’s main seaport, Chattogram Port, experienced a mixed bag of results in October 2024. While import cargo container handling saw a slight increase of 2.34%, reaching 120,225 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), exports witnessed a sharp decline of 13%.
The decrease in export containers, dropping to 66,932 TEUs from 75,603 TEUs in September, is attributed to a number of factors. Traders point to the country’s recent political turmoil and instability, which has negatively impacted the clothing industry, a major contributor to Bangladesh’s export economy. Despite the Christmas season, typically a peak time for exports, the expected increase in shipments failed to materialize.
Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association, highlights the impact of the July anti-discrimination movement and violence on export consignments, which were delayed and eventually shipped in September. He attributes the further decline in October to the current dollar crisis, complex Letter of Credit (LC) processes, and the weakened condition of banks, all of which have hindered importers.
This situation has resulted in a slowdown in import volumes, directly affecting the export sector, particularly the ready-made garment industry heavily reliant on imported raw materials. As a result, both export volume and container handling have decreased, leaving the port with a mixed picture for October.
First Piper 