The first consignment of imported onions in two containers by sea route was unloaded at Chattogram seaport on Tuesday morning.
The onion-laden ship, MV Kota Egnorik, berthed at the port jetty on Monday night.
Sources said the vessel reached the port with 58 tonnes of onions brought by Indosuez Trading Limited of Singapore.
Two more ships with 258 tonnes of onions in nine containers from Myanmar and Pakistan also arrived at the port the same day.
Chattogram port's plant quarantine centre deputy director Dr Muhammed Asaduzzaman Bulbul said, "We've already issued an NOC on 58-tonne onions imported from Myanmar by sea route."
"We've issued import permission (IP) for importing onions from 12 countries by sea route. Importers have taken 322 IPs for importing 147,554 tonnes."
The countries are China, Egypt, Turkey, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Malaysia, South Africa, Ukraine, India, the UAE and Pakistan, added Mr Bulbul.
He hoped the prevailing crisis in onion markets would go following the start of onion imports by sea.
Chattogram Port Authority secretary Omar Faruk said, "Imported onions are arriving at the port. The first batch of imported onions has been unloaded on Tuesday."
Chattogram Customs House has taken special measures to clear the onions as soon as possible, he added. The importers of Chattogram have got permission to bring in onions from 12 countries by sea following the current crisis for onions since September 10.
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