Three lighter vessel associations yesterday threatened to stop loading, unloading and carrying of goods from Chittagong port and its outer anchorage from October 14 if measures are not taken to unload the wheat from 24 vessels now stuck at the port channel.

At a press conference at the National Press Club in the city, leaders of the associations said due to disagreement among the importer, exporter and shipping authority, unloading of the wheat could not take place in last eight months.

The associations are Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association and Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chittagong.

The associations leaders said mother vessel MV Celtic reached Chittagong port on February 27 with 26,500 metric tons of wheat which was loaded to 30 lighter vessels.

Of them, only six were unloaded, they added.

The exporter filed an admiralty suit with the High Court praying for unloading the wheat from remaining 24 vessels, and the court ordered the authorities concerned to unload the wheat under the supervision of the customs authority.

But in stead of taking steps to unload the wheat, the customs authority sought a stay order from the

Supreme Court by submitting wrong information, alleged associations leaders.

Since then the vessels have been left in the salt water, and as a result these could sink any time due to corrosion and rusting closing the port channel.

Associations leaders said the market price of 24 vessel is about Tk 100 crore beside the carrying cost and demurrage of about Tk 35 crore.

“We therefore urge the authorities concerned to give attention to solve

the problem immediately,” they added.

Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh President Md Tajul Islam, Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association President KM Mahmudur Rahman and General Secretary Gazi Md Belaet Hossain, Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chittagong General Secretary Shafiq Ahmmed, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Vicepresident MA Latif were present at the press conference.