Chittagong 4 Jan: Businesses in Chittagong yesterday expressed concern over the ongoing government drive against overloaded vehicles on the highways, saying it would double the carrying cost of exported and imported goods.
Besides, the introduction of the new overload control system will raise the number of transports by 25 per cent on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and further worsen the traffic congestion on the highway.
The views were expressed at a meeting of the Port Users' Forum at the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Wednesday.
Presided over by CCCI president and Port Users' Forum Chairman Mahbubul Alam, the meeting was addressed by consumer goods transport operators, cement producers, exporters, importers, transport owners and representatives of different business establishments.
The participants at the meeting demanded an increase in the volume of wheel-based overload of cargo because transport cost has gone up significantly after the move under which overloaded vehicles are either fined heavily or pushed back.
They called for a coordination meeting of the representatives or senior officials from the ministries of Road Transport & Bridges, Commerce, Industries, Shipping and Finance to review the volume of overload of cargo axles loads.
The drive against overload of cargo on the basis of transport wheels started on December 1, 2017 to protect roads & highways from the damage caused by overloaded vehicles. The preventive action goes on under a directive from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority.
According to people in the business circle, overall transport cost has gone up significantly following the move under which overloaded vehicles are either fined heavily or given a pushback.
Vice President of the Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry A M Mahbub Chowdhury said with the introduction of the new system, the transportation cost of cargo has doubled. On the other hand, it is causing traffic congestion.
Normally, a truck takes eight hours from Chittagong to Dhaka on the highway but now it is taking 16 hours.
CCCI port and shipping affairs sub-committee convener Mahfuzul Hoque Shah suggested a coordination committee of all concerned ministries to reconsider the issue for the interest of the economy.
Director of Diamond Cement Industry Hakim Ali said the cost of a bag cement had gone up by Tk 14 to 15. This will have a negative impact on the end users.
Mahbubul Alam has urged the government to extend the weight limit of cargo on wheels-basis.
He also urged the government to construct the Dhaka Chittagong expressway within this year and expand the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to eight lanes.
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