How the Chattogram Port dialogue showed a way forward

Toward the end of last year, exporters and shipping agents found themselves facing renewed uncertainty. Without prior consultation, a sudden announcement was made to increase charges at private inland container depots (ICDs).

The move immediately triggered friction between depot operators and port users—including freight forwarders and shipping agents—at a time when stability in logistics costs mattered most.

Discontent over the proposed tariff hike continued to build. It was at this point that the chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority, Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, stepped in. On the very first day of the new year, he brought all stakeholders to the same table. Under his mediation, leaders of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association, the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, the Bangladesh Shipping Agents' Association, and the Container Shipping Association sat down for talks. The outcome was not just dialogue, but a workable path toward resolution.

This intervention deserves attention. The depot association had announced a 60% increase in charges across several segments. Following discussions, all parties agreed to limit the increase to 20%. This compromise recognised the reality of rising costs and investment pressures faced by depot owners, while shielding exporters and the wider supply chain from a sudden and destabilising shock.

Just as important was another decision taken at the meeting. Within the next six months, an international or local consultant will be appointed to conduct research and a comparative analysis of depot tariffs. The aim is to develop a data-driven and transparent tariff structure. If done properly, this could help prevent similar disputes in the future and replace ad hoc decisions with evidence-based pricing.

Here's why this matters. Any abrupt increase in supply-chain costs directly undermines export competitiveness. Had the proposed 60% hike taken effect, exporters and freight forwarders would have faced a sharp rise in expenses, inevitably pushing up product prices. In global markets where Bangladesh competes with countries such as Vietnam, India, and Cambodia, higher logistics costs would have weakened our position.

The phrase "there is no alternative to dialogue" is often dismissed as mere rhetoric. Yet the recent meeting at Chattogram Port proved that it can be a practical tool for problem-solving. It set an example of how engagement, rather than confrontation, can protect both business interests and the broader economy.

The context is critical. Around 90% of Bangladesh's foreign trade moves by sea. Chattogram Port alone handles roughly 92% of the country's containerised cargo. Last year, about 3.4 million TEUs passed through the port, a significant share of which was processed via inland container depots. These depots are not merely storage yards; they are vital nodes in the supply chain, handling the containerisation of export cargo and easing pressure on the port.

Freight forwarders, meanwhile, remain the quiet engine of the country's export-import system. Bangladesh has more than 1,200 licensed freight forwarders connecting key export sectors to global markets. The readymade garment sector alone earns around $45 billion annually, and much of that trade depends on the coordinated work of freight forwarders, depots, shipping agents, and main line operators.

Globally, freight forwarders play a central role in moving goods across sea, river, air, rail, and road. From door-to-door services to bridging buyers and sellers, they are indispensable to modern trade. But the reality is simple: no single actor can function in isolation.

A supply chain only works when all its parts move together. Production without delivery has no value, just as logistics without goods is meaningless. A garment factory may produce world-class products, but if those goods fail to reach buyers on time, the entire effort collapses. Freight forwarders make that final connection possible, but they rely on depots for containerisation and on main line operators for shipping capacity. These sectors are complementary; disruption in one inevitably ripples through the rest.

Seen in that light, the Chattogram Port meeting was more than a dispute settlement. It reaffirmed a principle the logistics sector often forgets under pressure: cooperation is not optional; it is essential.

The resolution showed that dialogue does not create winners and losers. Instead, it creates shared gains. Businesses want to operate sustainably, but they also want to contribute to the national economy. A balanced, collaborative supply chain ultimately strengthens the country's economic foundation.

If this lesson is carried forward, many future deadlocks can be resolved before they escalate. Problems discussed early—around a table rather than across battle lines—are far easier to fix. That is the real relief this initiative has offered, and the path it has shown for the days ahead.

Sketch: TBS

Khairul Alam Sujan is a former Vice President of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BAFFA) and a former Director of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents' Association.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.