Export-import activities through the Chattogram port came to a halt on Saturday due to the “complete shutdown programme” enforced by the officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The sector insiders described it as unprecedented in the country’s history, warning that it could cause irreparable damage to the country’s international trade in addition to resulting in a shortfall in revenue target for the current fiscal year.
The NBR officials have been staging demonstrations since 14 May, protesting the government’s ordinance issued dissolving the NBR and forming a new revenue structure, and demanding the resignation of the NBR chairman.
However, as the agitators announced a complete shutdown and March for NBR for Saturday, the customs officials refrained from performing duties at the Chattogram Customs House and other related stations, including the port and inland container depots (ICDs), since morning, said sources.
It halted transportation of export and import containers to and from the Chattogram port and 21 ICDs (off-docks).
The agitation also put the collection of revenue target at risk as the Chattogram customs lagged behind the target set for the current fiscal year as of Friday.
According to sources at the customs house, against the target of Tk80,402 crore for 2024-25, the station earned some Tk73,628 crore as of Friday, down by Tk6,774 crore from the target.
Chattogram Customs Agents Association Joint General Secretary Obaidul Hoque Alamgir confirmed that no import and export-related activity was conducted at the customs house on Saturday. The staff of the C&F agents returned without getting their tasks done, he said.
The businesspeople and other stakeholders observed that if continued, the protest programme would hurt the overall international trade of the country.
In addition to container congestion at the port yards, the export containers will miss the mother vessels compelling the exporters to make air shipments, allow discounts for the buyers or face cancellation of orders for delay.
Besides, the vessels, which will have to stay extra time to take delayed containers, will charge $15,000 to $20,000 per day as demurrage while extra charges will have to be paid by the port authority.
On the other hand, due to the lack of delivery of import containers in time, the industries will face raw material shortages and it will hamper production. The importer will also have to pay additional store rent at the port.
Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder told the the media that usually they send 1,800 to 2,200 export containers to the port for shipment and receive some 1,000 import containers each day. Some 3,000 to 3,500 trucks carrying export goods also arrive at the depots, he added.
“We could not receive or send any container since 9am on Saturday due to a protest programme by the customs officials. Against the storing capacity of 1,05,000 Twenty Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers, there were 80,000 containers stockpiled at the depots till Saturday afternoon,” he said adding, that it will create container congestion at the port and ICDs while the export containers will miss the vessel.
Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Director Khairul Alam Suzan said the involvement of customs officials is required since a vessel reaches Bangladesh waters.
“After clearance, the vessel takes berth at the port jetties, offload and load containers. Later, the port authority delivers containers to the consignees and the Off-docks,” explained Suzan.
“Since the officials refrained from the work, the activities came to a halt on Saturday,” said Suzan.
He informed that additional port dues will have to be paid while the vessel will charge $15,000 to $20,000 for each day as demurrage.
“The issues will not end at this stage as the exporters, especially those of readymade garments, will have to make air shipment for delivering the product in time to the foreign buyers,” said the director.
He termed the movement by government officials hampering revenue collection as a rare incident in the country’s history. Suzan also feared that the revenue collection may be shortfall due to the movement that began in mid-May.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Director Rakibul Amin Chowdhury said the incident will cause irreparable loss to the country’s export-import business.
The government should take stern action against such activities for ensuing smooth business environment, he added. Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk said offloading of containers from the vessels, which took berth at the jetty earlier, was going on.
The transportation to and from the port was being hampered due to the agitation, he added. Sources said against the storing capacity of 53,581 TEU containers, 38,862 containers were lying at the port yards till 8am on Saturday.
Courtesy: Daily Sun.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
