DHAKA, Sept 5: Bangladesh's main port resumed work late on Tuesday after shipping companies lifted a boycott called after a court ruled their surcharge on containers was illegal, the shipping minister said.

“The shipping companies have already resumed their operations and the Chittagong Port is again fully operational,” said Kamrul Islam after meeting with shipping companies and business leaders.

“The companies also decided to withdraw the surcharge on the containers after the garments manufacturers agreed to lift the cases they filed in the high court,” the minister said.

The boycott was launched after a Bangladesh court ruled in favour of textile firms that a $130 surcharge imposed in June by the shipping companies on every 20-foot container was illegal.

The companies said the surcharge was needed to recover costs caused by port congestion.

The boycott, which led to delays transporting thousands of containers, was partially lifted on Sunday after two companies agreed to resume operations following talks with the country's commerce minister.

But several foreign companies refused to follow suit as they were demanding withdrawal of the high court case against them.—AFP