About 10,000 auctionable containers have remained stranded at Chattogram Port for years, occupying an estimated 15% to 20% of its capacity.
The backlog includes 2,748 20-foot containers and 6,618 40-foot containers, along with 16,372 packages of less-than-container-load goods and 6,919 bulk shipments awaiting auction.
Chattogram Customs House clears only 20 to 30 containers monthly through public bids and electronic auctions. Over the past 18 months, 988 containers were released to bidders, while hundreds more entered the auction process.
Traders blame bureaucratic delays, import conditions and complex legal procedures.
Perishable cargo, including oranges, dates and ginger, is rotting, while exposed bulk goods deteriorate faster.
Shipping companies say idle containers, valued at about $4,000 each, are becoming scrap and damaging Bangladesh’s trade image.