The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has proposed phasing in clearance of 80 per cent of imports through private inland container depots, or off-docks, to ease congestion at Chattogram port, The Business Standard reported on 9 May 2026.
BIDA says the change could raise handling capacity at the New Mooring Container Terminal and Chittagong Container Terminal by about 1.6 to 2 times. At present the National Board of Revenue allows only 65 categories of imports to be handled through private ICDs, while all exports already pass through 21 off-docks. The proposal went to the finance ministry as part of a wider deregulation drive.
BIDA also recommended a risk-based review system for off-docks, round-the-clock banking and online customs services, and a single digital platform linking ASYCUDA World, the National Single Window and other regulators. Port data cited in the report show Chattogram handled 3,409,069 TEUs in calendar 2025.
Mustafizur Rahman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue called such initiatives positive for investment and competitiveness. The proposal had not been adopted at the time of the report.
Source
- The Business Standard: “Bida proposes 80% off-dock unloading to ease Ctg Port congestion” (9 May 2026)
File photo: the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority office. Photo: Wasiul Bahar / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This article is a summary prepared by Maritime News BD from the report(s) listed above; it was not independently reported by Maritime News BD.
