News / Political upheaval in Bangladesh sees factories close and supply chain chaos

Photo: © Laurence Agron | Dreamstime.com

Bangladesh supply chains are experiencing chaos from the worsening civil disorder, with factories having been shuttered for two days and exports forced almost to a halt. 

Customs process remain all but suspended as shipments through seaports and airports are disrupted.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said the sector – the nation’s prime foreign currency earner– had already incurred losses of some $270m, with a decision yet to be taken on whether factories can reopen tomorrow.

Ruhul Amin Sikder Biplob, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association, said: “On Monday night we did not send boxes to the port on security grounds,” adding that the port’s depots had received very few trucks yesterday or so far today, amid the countrywide violence. 

Omar Faruk, spokesperson for the Chittagong Port Authority, said only 329 teu had been delivered from the port yard by this morning. In a normal day the prime seaport of the country delivers more than 4,000 teu.

He added that he expected today’s total may increase to some 1,000 teu.

 The port unloaded some 2,409 teu of import containers from vessels and shipped 1,265 teu of export containers yesterday, while this morning saw 44,117 teu  lying at the port yard, taking up some 80% of the area, hindering loading and unloading of boxes.

Muntasir Rubayat, head of operations at GBX Logistics, said an increased number of delivery orders was being issued by shipping agents today.