February 12th, 2026 – Container movements at Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port resumed Monday after dockworkers and port employees suspended their nearly two-week strike through February 15th, citing national interest, according to local industry sources.
The full workforce had walked off the job to protest a government decision to lease the port’s busiest facility, the New Mooring Container Terminal (NMCT), to global terminal operator DP World. The strike brought operations at the country’s primary maritime gateway to a halt, disrupting imports and exports during a critical trading period.
Labor representatives said the decision to return to work was influenced by the country’s upcoming general elections and the need to process cargo tied to Ramadan-related demand. The Chattogram Bandar Rokkha Sangram Parishad, which led the industrial action, stated that operations were resuming to ensure the uninterrupted release of essential goods.
Port authorities are believed to have provided assurances to union leaders that the current government would not move forward with the NMCT leasing agreement for now. However, uncertainty remains over whether workers could launch another strike as early as next weekend if tensions resurface.
Shipping lines began coordinating closely with port authorities and terminal operators to support a gradual and safe restart of cargo flows. Maersk said it was working with relevant stakeholders to facilitate a smooth ramp-up and would continue monitoring developments.
Despite the resumption of work, local shipping sources warned that supply chain disruptions are far from over. Significant cargo backlogs have accumulated during the strike, and congestion at the docks remains severe. Industry representatives noted that many vessels awaiting entry are unlikely to secure berths in the coming days, raising the risk of further delays even as operations resume.
