Chittagong Port: Over $1.1 Trillion in Goods Handled, Generating $90 Billion in Revenue

Chittagong Port, the primary gateway for Bangladesh's foreign trade, has seen a significant increase in revenue. In the recently concluded fiscal year 2025-26, the port handled approximately 11.25 crore tons of goods, with a total dutiable value exceeding 11 lakh crore Taka (approximately $1.1 trillion USD, assuming a rough exchange rate). The combined revenue generated for the government treasury and the Chittagong Port Authority from these operations reached nearly 90,000 crore Taka (approximately $90 billion USD). Data from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Chittagong Port Authority reveal this trend.

The NBR reported that 10.75 crore tons of imported goods were cleared through Chittagong Port in the fiscal year. The dutiable value of these imports, including freight and insurance, was approximately 5.85 lakh crore Taka. The government's revenue from these imports, collected through various customs stations including Chittagong Customs House, amounted to about 86,000 crore Taka. This represents a nearly 6% increase in imported goods volume and a 10% rise in revenue collection compared to the previous fiscal year (2024-25), when 10.16 crore tons were cleared with a dutiable value of 7.31 lakh crore Taka and revenue of 78,397 crore Taka.

In the same fiscal year, 4.9 crore tons of export goods were transported through the port, with a dutiable value of approximately 5.16 lakh crore Taka. This signifies a 4% increase in export volume, though the dutiable value saw less than a 1% rise, largely because most export goods are exempt from duties. The Chittagong Port Authority's revenue from container and bulk cargo handling surpassed 4,085 crore Taka, an increase of about 28% from the previous year's 3,173 crore Taka, attributed to increased cargo volume and tariff adjustments. Beyond direct government revenue, the port facilitates substantial private economic activity involving numerous service sectors.