A total of 318 containers carrying hazardous chemicals have been lying at Chittagong port for years, raising safety concerns and hampering normal port operations.
Several of the containers have deteriorated over time, increasing the risk of accidents. The Chittagong Port Authority has repeatedly written to the customs authorities, seeking their removal. Customs officials said steps were being taken to clear the containers in line with decisions made at an inter-ministerial meeting.
In 2020, a devastating explosion involving ammonium nitrate at the port of Beirut in Lebanon killed more than 200 people, raising concerns about the safe storage of hazardous materials at seaports worldwide.
Chittagong port has also witnessed chemical-related incidents. Four workers were injured in a chemical explosion at the port in 2015, while a container carrying batteries caught fire in 2022. In the same year, an explosion involving a container of hydrogen peroxide at the BM Depot in Sitakunda killed at least 50 people.
Chemicals imported for various industries include flammable and explosive substances. Legal complications and paperwork-related delays have left hazardous cargo stranded in port sheds and yards for extended periods.
According to the CPA, 318 containers carrying hazardous goods had been handed over to customs for disposal as of September 30 this year. The containers remain within the port premises.
Mahfuzul Haque Shah, a former director of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the port was already struggling with a shortage of space.
“These hazardous containers have been occupying valuable port space for a long time. If the containers carrying flammable substances and dangerous chemicals are not removed, an accident could occur at any time,” he said, calling for their removal to reduce safety risks.
Syed Refayet Hamim, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority, told Dhaka Tribune that several containers carrying chemical products remained at the port, including the 318 handed over to customs by September 30. He said customs would gradually auction or destroy the containers as appropriate.
Assistant Commissioner of the Chittagong Customs Sharif Mohammad Al Amin said the containers were being cleared in line with decisions taken at an inter-ministerial meeting. The process would be carried out through a tender following the relevant provisions of the procurement rules, he added.
