BANGLADESH's Chattogram port is suffering a backlog in import container delivery as many businesses fail to collect cargo despite five days having passed since the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, reports the Dhaka Daily Star.

Although the country's main seaport remained fully operational during the holiday, the expected benefits could not be seen in container delivery activities, officials said.

This resulted in the accumulation of more than 9,000 TEU within the span of seven days.

Until March 30, the day before Eid-ul-Fitr, there were 31,707 TEU inside the port. The next day, the number stood at 40,948 TEU.

Port officials blamed importers for not taking proper delivery, thereby causing the accumulation.

According to berth operators, delivery of import containers started dropping two to three days before Eid, which was celebrated on March 31.

In mid-February, the authorities warned of imposing four times higher storage rent for longer stay of containers, said Nazmul Hoque, executive director of Saif Powertec, the berth operator of the port's New Mooring Container Terminal.

Such measures yielded significant results, which created enough vacant space in most port yards before the holiday started.

"If the yards did not have that much space, the situation could have turned out worse," he said.

Chittagong Port Authority secretary Omar Faruk said though delivery remained low, the arrival of ships and unloading of imports went on at normal pace over the holiday, except for an eight-hour halt on Eid day.