CHATTOGRAM, Jan 7: The Bangladesh inland container depots (BICDA), the Association of private ICD and stakeholders, have agreed on a 20 percent increase in tariffs for export and empty container handling at the depots for a period of six months effective from January.
The decision was taken in a meeting held recently with CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman and the major stakeholders, including garment and knitwear exporters, to resolve the stalemate over tariff hikes by the private ICDs.
ICD operators last month threatened to suspend container handling from December 11, as users refused to pay the increased rate. ICDs later postponed the plan following assurances from the CPA regarding resolution.
Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA), in July 2025, announced an increase in charges for handling export and empty containers by as much as 60 percent, to be effective from September 1, citing rising operational and investment costs, currency devaluation, and inflationary pressures.
Amid opposition from stakeholders, the issue went to the High Court, which suspended the revised tariff. The shipping ministry later directed them not to impose any new charges without approval.
Leaders of BICDA, representatives of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BAFFA), the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA), and the Bangladesh Container Shipping Association (BCSA) attended the meeting.
Earlier Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) moved to increase charges for stuffing, ground rent, lift-on and lift-off, documentation, and port-to-off-dock transport.
Each depot individually notified their clients that from Thursday, they will no longer be able to load export cargo or handle empty containers. Owners of the Private ICDs opined that they cannot continue operations under the existing charges, which they have not been allowed to revise.
Meanwhile, the tariff was increased in 2016 last. Over the past nine years, labour wages have gone up several times, but tariff has remained unchanged. It has become impossible to operate under the old rates, so depot owners decided to halt operations.
The depots serve as an extension of the port, handling all export cargo, most empty containers and 65 categories of import goods. Operators say shutting down off-dock operations would affect port activities and the national economy.
There are 19 ICDs, all in private sectors, can store about 106,000 TEUs of containers, nearly double the capacity of the port's own yards, which can hold around 60,000 TEUs. They handle roughly 2.2 million containers annually, including all export shipments and empty boxes returning from abroad.
