
19 Jul Bangladesh Update
Escalating Unrest in Bangladesh Disrupts Communication and Trade
The death toll from the recent violence in Bangladesh has risen to 39 as of today. The majority of these fatalities occurred in Dhaka, while additional deaths were reported in Narayanganj and Chittagong. The situation remains critical, with clashes reported in nearly half of the country’s 64 districts, resulting in more than 1,000 injuries.
Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury, reporting from Dhaka, described the environment as “very volatile, intense, and critical.” Protests persist, with students from six universities in close proximity to Chowdhury’s location continuing to demonstrate, despite the sounds of gunfire and stun grenades.
In response to the unrest, the Bangladeshi government has imposed a communications blackout, effectively cutting off internet access and halting news broadcasts. It is important to note that this blackout is unrelated to the Microsoft outage that began on July 19th.
Impact on Export Operations
The nationwide shutdown initiated on Thursday night has severely impacted transportation and communication within Bangladesh. Major highways are obstructed due to ongoing clashes, and all bus, train, and air services have been suspended.
Prime Freight is currently unable to contact its agents in Bangladesh due to the communication blackout. This disruption also hampers communication between agents and shipping lines. Although this is the case, we were able to get in contact with the owner of Power Logistics, Amin, via telephone to get all the updates on the day-to-day situations.
Dhaka Airport Faces Cargo Backlog Due to C&F Agents’ Strike
Over 1,500 tonnes of export-import cargo are currently stranded at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) following a three-day strike by clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents. The strike was in response to the introduction of an express delivery system by customs authorities on June 6.
The new rule allows courier services to assess cargo weighing below 30kg, enabling importers to receive shipments within two days and facilitating faster exports. However, this change has negatively impacted C&F agents’ business.
The situation was further aggravated by a government holiday following the strike, resulting in a four-day halt in cargo deliveries. Stakeholders estimate it will take at least a week to clear the backlog.