Dhaka, May 20 -- A five-day work stoppage by officials at the Chattogram Custom House has severely disrupted operations at the country's main seaport, creating a backlog of over 4,000 containers and significantly slowing customs processing.

On a typical day, the Chattogram Custom House handles around 2,000 bills of entry for imported goods. However, due to the ongoing pen-down strike, that number has halved, sparking serious concerns about its impact on customs revenue.

Businesses are already feeling the pressure. Traders report rising costs due to extended delays in customs clearance. With imported goods stuck at the port awaiting assessment and release, storage fees and warehouse rents are rapidly increasing.

According to Chattogram ...