Quick shipment of RMG cargo before Eid urged

Our Correspondent | Published: July 27, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

CHITTAGONG, July 26: BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) first vice president Nasiruddin Ahmed Chowdhury has asked for cooperation from the private inland container depots (ICDs) to take all necessary steps for quick shipment of the RMG export cargo before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Directors of BGMEA Chittagong region Md Abdul Wahab, Syed Nazrul Islam, Shaikh Saadi, Anjan Shekhor Das and senior executives of the association accompanied the first VP during his visit to different ICDs including the OCL Depot and Essack Brothers in the port city.
During the visit he said they are facing problems in cargo discharge and smooth shipment of cargo from the ICDs due to shortage of skilled manpower, accommodation facilities for storing cargoes in the ICDs and lack of necessary handling equipment and other infrastructural shortcomings.
As a result, many covered vans carrying export cargo become absorbed causing shortage of such vans. This situation hampers quick delivery of the export cargo from factories to the ICDs, he said.
Long stay of covered vans with export cargo in the ICDs also causes delay in shipment creating apprehension of cancellation of the export orders and air-shipment of the cargo that calls for extra cost of freight.
Mr Chowdhury emphasised the need for the coordination of the shipping line operators, freight forwarders, port authority and the private ICDs in carrying out quick shipment of the readymade garment items for the sake of the industry and national economy.
During interaction the ICD owners said they have to handle much more cargo compared to their handling capacity ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. Besides, the port has no adequate slot in different sheds to store the export goods for which cargoes in containers are not being sent to the ships' hook points timely.
The ICD owners further said the handling activities are being hampered due to lack of quick delivery of the empty containers to the ICDs from the port jetties.
They urged authorities concerned to fix separate slots in the port sheds for keeping the empty containers there before arrival of the ships to the berths. They also alleged that the CTMS service is not functioning properly although it has been installed to facilitate speedy shipment of cargo. The system is yet to be fully implemented, they said. The ICD operators, however, assured the RMG exporters to do their best in export of the cargoes despite limitations in the ICDs.
Chief Executive Officer of the OCL Depot Captain Quamrul Islam Majumder, SAPL General Manager Mahinul Haque and Incontrade Depot DGM Saiful Islam, among others, were present on the occasion.