Authorities at Chattogram Port have halted the release of a container after detecting the presence of radioactive material in a shipment of imported scrap metal.
The radiation was detected by the port’s ‘Megaport Initiative Radiation Detection System’ during routine screening.
Customs officials said initial tests showed a radiation level of one micro sievert — a unit measuring radiation exposure. While this level is not considered high, they stressed that the exact level cannot be confirmed until further testing is completed.
As a precaution, the container has been isolated in a secure location.
According to port sources, a steel factory in Dhaka’s Demra area had imported 135 tonnes of scrap metal in five containers from Brazil. The container that triggered the alarm was one of them.
The shipment arrived at the port’s JCB Terminal on August 3 aboard the vessel ‘MV Mount Cameron’. On Wednesday, while the container was being moved out through Gate 4, the radiation detection system raised an alert.
A customs official said that following the warning, the container was secured, and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has been notified. Their scientists will conduct an on-site inspection to determine the exact level of radioactivity before deciding on further action.
