A severe shortage of lighter vessels has caused a major operational crisis at Chattogram port, where more than 85 mother vessels carrying over 300,000 tons of goods are stranded at the outer anchorage. Importers are reportedly paying daily waiting charges of 12,000 to 15,000 dollars per vessel, which is expected to impact consumer prices. Business groups fear the situation could worsen ahead of Ramadan.

Officials said large ships cannot dock directly at the port due to insufficient draft, requiring goods to be unloaded onto smaller lighter vessels for inland transport. Although about 1,500 lighter vessels exist on paper, fewer than 1,000 are active. Around 40 percent of vessels are currently stuck elsewhere, many being used as floating warehouses by fertilizer importers and industrial groups. The Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC) has been unable to meet demand for over a month, intensifying the congestion.

Port authorities have launched enforcement drives against vessels idling for more than 72 hours, while business leaders call for coordinated action among port, transport, and vessel owners to resolve the crisis and prevent further disruption to essential commodity supply.