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The National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued an order on Saturday, allowing the Chattogram-based private inland container depots (ICDs) or off-docks to handle six more imported goods.
The goods are – all types of seeds and fibres, drug administration-approved products for pharmaceutical companies, yarns, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and tyre cord.
It is an ad-hoc basis measure that will continue until June 30, according to a letter, signed by NBR Second Secretary (Customs Policy) Mehraj Ul Alam Samrat.
The letter also said the decision has been taken following a meeting, held in Chattogram on April 14.
The move is taken for creating free space in Chattogram Port, which remains congested following slow delivery of imported goods.
On the other hand, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) issued another order on Saturday to clear goods from the port.
The CPA order said it will not take any store rent from the traders, who will take delivery of imported goods within April 20. Imported goods stored in the port since March 27 will get the facility.
In the meantime, representatives of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) opined that handling of the new six items by the off-docks may not be able to clear congestion in the port.
They said the port has over 50,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of imported containers lying for long (as of Saturday). The consignees are not clearing those containers possibly due to the ongoing lockdown following Covid-19 outbreak across the country.
BICDA Secretary Mohammad Ruhul Amin Sikder told the FE that they are not sure whether the NBR order can achieve its objective or not.
He said this is a critical period, and goods lying in the port need to be cleared to avoid further congestion.
“We have no clear idea to what extent handling of the NBR-allowed new goods will clear the port yards.”
The off-docks now have extra capacity to handle 18,000 more TEUs of containers, Mr Sikder noted.
“If the NBR’s order serves the purpose, its ok,” he added.
On the other hand, the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) said the NBR order is acceptable in order to free the port from congestion. But it also expressed suspicion whether the order will attain its target or not.
BSAA Chairman Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury said if the importers do not take timely delivery of goods from the off-docks, purpose of the NBR’s initiative will remain unmet.
There are 18 off-docks or dry ports in Chattogram, incepting since late 1980s. Currently, they handle some 38 import items, aggregately equivalent to around 20 per cent of the total import.
The off-docks also handle cent per cent export goods, thus helping to reduce congestion in the port.
(FE)
