Container Movement Halted At Chattogram Port After Assault On Transport Worker

Chattogram, September 29, 2026 — Container movement at Chattogram Port was halted after drivers and transport workers operating trucks, prime movers, and other vehicles went on strike following an assault on a transport worker. The disruption affects Bangladesh's main seaport — which handles over 90% of the country's containerised trade.

📋 Incident Details

• 🚚 Incident: assault on a transport worker
• 🚚 Response: drivers and transport workers went on strike
• 🚚 Impact: container movement halted at Chattogram Port
• 🚚 Affected operations: trucks, prime movers, container transport vehicles

🚢 Chattogram Port: Bangladesh's Main Seaport

Chattogram Port is Bangladesh's primary seaport:

• 🚢 Container handling: over 90% of Bangladesh's containerised trade
• 🚢 Annual container volume: approximately 3.0+ million TEUs
• 🚢 Cargo types: RMG inputs (cotton, fabric, accessories), industrial machinery, consumer goods, export RMG products
• 🚢 Connectivity: road, rail, and inland waterway links to Dhaka and other regions
• 🚢 Employment: tens of thousands of port workers, transport workers, and ancillary staff

💼 Impact Of The Disruption

The halting of container movement has cascading effects:

• 🚧 RMG export delays — finished garments waiting for shipment may miss deadlines
• 🚧 Import clearance delays — raw materials and industrial inputs stuck at port
• 🚧 Port congestion — containers accumulating at the port
• 🚧 Demurrage charges — importers incurring additional costs for delayed clearance
• 🚧 Supply chain disruption — factories may face input shortages
• 🚧 Revenue impact — NBR losing customs duty collection during the stoppage

📜 Looking Ahead

For Bangladesh's trade and logistics sector, the disruption underscores the vulnerability of the country's supply chain to labour disputes and port operational issues:

• 📝 Resolution — the dispute needs to be resolved quickly to minimise trade disruption
• 📝 Worker protection — addressing the underlying assault incident
• 📝 Port resilience — developing contingency plans for similar disruptions
• 📝 Supply chain diversification — the importance of Mongla Port and Payra Port as alternatives

For the RMG sector — already under pressure from energy shortages and order cancellations — any extended port disruption could translate into missed export deadlines, buyer dissatisfaction, and potential order losses.