DHAKA — A nationwide customs strike has brought operations at Bangladesh’s largest port, Chittagong, to a standstill, dealing a major blow to the country’s export-driven economy, reported by AFP.
Port authorities confirmed that all container movement at Chittagong Port ceased on Sunday as customs officials walked off the job amid a deepening standoff with the government over proposed structural reforms to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
“Normally, we process 7,000 to 8,000 containers daily,” said Mohammed Omar Faruq, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority. “Today, not a single container moved. The economic toll is mounting rapidly.”
Bangladesh’s $55 billion garment industry—second globally only to China’s—is bearing the brunt. Mahmud Hasan Khan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, warned that the shutdown could cost the sector $222 million, threatening to bankrupt several factories.
NBR employees have been staging intermittent strikes for weeks, opposing government plans to split the agency into two separate bodies. Tensions escalated further on Sunday when protesting staff were barred from entering their offices under a new government order aimed at halting demonstrations on agency premises.
Interim Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus urged striking officials to end what he called an “unlawful program” that undermines national interests. “If they do not return to work, the government will be compelled to act decisively,” his office said in a statement.
As the standoff drags on, pressure is mounting from the business community. Thirteen industry chambers held a joint press conference on Saturday, appealing for urgent resolution to avoid further disruption.
With port activity frozen and diplomatic appeals falling short, Bangladesh faces a critical test of its economic resilience.
