Highlights:
- Three piracy incidents this month have raised fresh security concerns
- Chamber fears higher insurance premiums and disruptions to maritime trade
- Calls grow for tighter security at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage
The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has urged the government to tighten security at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage after three piracy incidents involving foreign vessels this month raised concerns among foreign shipowners, shipping agents and seafarers.
In a letter to Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam today (22 July), CCCI President Mohammad Amirul Haque called for stronger Coast Guard patrols, better intelligence gathering, swift investigations and strict action against those involved in piracy and the sale of stolen equipment from vessels.
The chamber said the recent attacks, in which cargo, ship equipment and valuable spare parts worth several crore taka were looted, had alarmed foreign shipowners, shipping agents and seafarers.
Victims claimed they did not receive immediate assistance despite informing the Bangladesh Coast Guard and the Chattogram Port Authority during the attacks, it added.
Warning of the broader impact of the incidents, the CCCI said continued security lapses at the country’s main seaport could damage Bangladesh’s reputation and raise the overall cost of doing business.
“Security concerns at the outer anchorage are not only a threat to the shipping industry but also to the national economy, international trade and Bangladesh’s image,” the letter said.
Repeated piracy incidents could increase insurance premiums, disrupt vessel operations and raise trade costs, making it harder for the government to improve the ease of doing business, it added.
Highlighting the port’s importance, the CCCI said Chattogram Port handles around 90% of the country’s import and export trade and is expected to double its container handling capacity by 2035 under the government’s expansion plans.
The chamber also referred to the latest report by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), which recorded no incidents of piracy or armed robbery at Chattogram Port during the first four months of 2026.
It credited that achievement to the joint efforts of the Chattogram Port Authority and the Bangladesh Coast Guard under a “zero tolerance” approach, but warned that the recent incidents could affect Bangladesh’s standing in future international assessments.
The CCCI called for swift and impartial investigations into the recent attacks, exemplary punishment for those responsible, and the introduction of internationally recognised maritime security measures alongside round-the-clock monitoring to restore the confidence of international shipping companies and seafarers.
It also urged the government to step up Coast Guard patrols in piracy-prone areas, strengthen intelligence surveillance and crack down on criminal networks involved in buying and selling stolen goods from vessels.
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