The ongoing gridlock will mount further over the next few days as the opposition parties have called another spate of hartals on February 3, 5 and 6.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) yesterday took a number of measures to address the serious container congestion, including opening a 24-hour emergency control room.

According to sources, a total of 17,625 TEUs (twenty equivalent units) containers, against the capacity of 13,500 TEUs, remained stranded at the seaport yard yesterday afternoon.

"The large number of stranded containers compelled us to stop cargo handling since all the yards and sheds are already over-loaded with an additional 4,000-plus containers," said a CPA official, seeking anonymity.

The previous record of congestion at the Chittagong Port was between 16,000 to 16,500 TEUs, sources said.

The congestion is seriously hampering the handling of both bulk and container cargoes, they said.

The CPA authority, however, said the measures they have recently taken will help lessen to a great extent the sufferings of all concerned.

"We have taken the measures beginning today (January 31), in addition to a round-the-clock control room, for quick and fast delivery from the port of the stranded containers," Ahsanul Kabir, the Chittagong container terminal manager, told this correspondent yesterday evening.

He said port authorities will extend documentation service to 10:00pm from the existing time of 5:00pm, shed delivery to 10:00pm from the existing time of 5:00pm, and DO (delivery order) facility for shipping agents and freight forwarders to 8:00pm from the existing time of 5.00pm. Commercial banks inside the port will remain open till midnight, from the existing time of 10:00pm.

Besides, the yard activities will be open day and night, Ahsanul Kabir, also the director (Traffic) of CPA, said.