Ctg-Dhaka ICD freight train service resumes after 30hrs

The freight train services for transporting imported goods-laden containers from Chattogram Port to Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) has resumed tonight, about 30 hours after it was suspended yesterday.

Sadequr Rahman, divisional railway manager at Chattogram Port, confirmed the development to The Daily Star.

"The authorities of Bangladesh Railway decided to resume the service following a request from Dhaka ICD authorities in this regard," he said.

"A freight train is scheduled to depart for Dhaka from Chattogram Port at 10:00pm tonight (Sunday)," Sadequr Rahman said.

The service was suspended after a freight train left the port for Dhaka ICD at 3:00pm on Saturday.

Two more trains were also loaded with containers but they remained stuck at the Chattogram Goods Port Yard till tonight, following the suspension of the service.

The ICD authorities had sent a message to the Bangladesh Railway that it could not store any more containers until importers remove some cargo already stored there, Sadequr Rahman had earlier said.

"We have not fully stopped our operations. Other freight trains are carrying food grains, oil, and other goods to different destinations like Tejgaon, Dhaka Cantonment, Sylhet, Parbotipur, Rangpur, Dinajpur and others," he told The Daily Star.

"Since the countrywide shutdown began, four to five trains carried import-laden containers to the ICD every day in order to make space at Chattogram Port but the importers did not receive them due to crisis of vehicles or other reasons, resulting in shortage of space at ICD,"  Ahmedul Karim Chowdhury, head of ICD at Dhaka's Kamalapur, told The Daily Star earlier.

Until yesterday afternoon, a total 4,700 TEU (twenty equivalent units) of containers were lying at Dhaka ICD, which has the capacity to store a maximum of 4000 TEUs.

Finding no space, ICD authorities kept around 120 TEU of import-laden containers in the space designated for export containers, Ahmedul said.

Delivery from the port has slowed down since March 26 as the National Board of Revenue, through an official order issued on March 24, restricted delivery of all goods except daily commodities, emergency medicine, and service-related materials.

The ICD head said that they were trying to convince some importers to take away their cargo.