The non-functioning of handling equipment created a serious deadlock, causing stockpile of around 1,664 containers laden with export and import items at the depot.

Only one straddle carrier (container lifting equipment) is working while three others broke down and remained inoperative at the depot, sources said, adding that Global Agro Trade Company (Gatco) that was appointed for container handling work at the depot is not repairing the equipment timely.

Dhaka Customs Agents Association in a letter to the Chittagong port chairman yesterday alleged that Gatco has become unable to handle container at the depot. It requested the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) for appointment of a new company for container handling at the depot and taking over of the handling job by the CPA as an interim measure.

The company that had obtained the job through non-transparent ways became frustrated after the recent change in government, sources said, adding that a son of a former minister is one of the company directors and they lost enthusiasm in conducting the handling job.

As a result, container handling at the depot is being heavily disturbed for last couple of months. With the worsening of situation recently, container delivery has drastically declined.

Normally, goods from around 100 containers are delivered a day but on Wednesday only 58 containers were cleared, said a high official of the depot. A total of 1,664 loaded containers have been stockpiled at the depot, he said.

Another 4,178 TEUs empty containers are also stockpiled at the depot.

The office of the company at the depot also remains closed most of the time, sources said. This correspondent found the office locked yesterday afternoon.

An official of the company who was looking after the limited handling activities at the depot said all the inoperative equipment would be repaired and the situation would be normal by Sunday next. The company also hired two cranes from Chittagong as alternatives to straddle carriers for tackling emergency situation, he said.

Sources, however, said the container handling speed of the cranes is very slow.

The clearing and forwarding agents have become frustrated over the continued deadlock at the depot. "We are going to suffer huge losses due to the deadlock in last two days and the depot will remain closed for two more days due to weekly holidays," said SMA Khair, a leader of the Customs Agents Association.

"The depot has come to almost a standstill and I fear it may close down very soon," said Mostafa Hossain Patwari, vice- president of Dhaka Customs Agents Association.

He said the business community did not get the benefit of quick delivery of goods for which the ICD was opened in 1987. "A container takes only seven days to reach from Singapore to Chittagong whereas it takes more than one month to reach Dhaka from Chittagong," he said.

After the first two or three years, its performance gradually declined and the situation worsened much during the last two years.

Especially after Gatco got appointment in December 2005, the container handling has badly suffered, said several customs agents.

The port authorities also said the private company could not fulfil their requirements.

"We are looking for an alternative for smooth handling of containers at the port but it would take time to cancel the agreement and appoint a new one," said Madhusudan Das, deputy traffic manager of the depot that is under the CPA.

He said the higher authority has been informed about the deadlock at the container depot and they are considering alternative methods.

The company has been appointed for seven years and only two years have passed. At this stage no new company will be interested to get the job as it needs huge investment which is not less than Tk 20 crore, Das said.

All the costly handling equipment would have to be imported and those will not be used in any other job after expiry of the agreement, he added.

Due to non-functioning of major handling equipment, the other back-up services also became idle. The trailers, movers and covered vans that used to carry goods in the depot have remained idle. "We are sitting idle as our equipment does not operate due to lack of goods cleared from the container," said Ramzan Ali, a manager of transport company NS Cargo.

Around four hundred truck drivers who mainly carry goods from the depot to outside locations have also become jobless, sources said.