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The High Court has suspended the Chittagong Port Authority’s (CPA) decision to raise port service tariffs for one month, halting the implementation of a circular that was scheduled to take effect on October 15.

A bench of Justice Qazi Zinat Haque and Justice Ainun Nahar Siddiqa passed the order on Sunday after hearing a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Maritime Law Society, which challenged the legality of the CPA’s move.

The court also issued a rule asking why the gazette issued on September 14 and the circular on September 30 should not be declared illegal.

According to the September 14 gazette, the CPA had announced an average 41% increase in various service charges, with the highest hike imposed on container transport tolls.

Following the order, the petitioner’s lawyer said the suspension means CPA cannot collect the increased tariffs during the one-month stay period.

Meanwhile, the state plans to appeal the High Court order in the Appellate Division, Deputy Attorney General Noor Muhammad Azmi confirmed.