Bangladesh's largest port, Chittagong, has been badly hit by an acute congestion problem. The problem, persisting for the past few weeks, is believed to have been caused by non-clearance of imported containers from the port area. The berths are choc-a-bloc with boxes, even as ships go on unloading.

The port is believed to have the capacity to store 12,000-13,000 boxes but close to 18,000 have been unloaded.

A large number of container ships, therefore, are waiting for berths. No wonder the mainline operators have slapped congestion surcharge. The traders are upset as a result.

The port authority is trying its best to resolve the crisis through various means but not with much success so far.

The number of container vessels calling at the port has jumped significantly in recent times.

Thus, while the volume of traffic has increased, not the facilities to handle the increased volume of traffic.

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