Businessmen call for efforts to cut cargo-handling costs at Ctg Port

FE Team | Published: November 11, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

CHITTAGONG, Nov 10 (bdnews24.com): Exporters and importers at Chittagong Port have demanded that the government appoint berth operators through international tenders to reduce the cost of handling their goods.
Currently 51 master stevedore companies handle all goods at the country's main seaport; however, businessmen complain that the system adds unnecessary costs to their businesses.
The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association said the operators were overcharging for labourers as well as for mishandling and misdirecting their goods.
MA Salam, BGMEA's vice president, Saturday said they had raised the issue at several meetings of the Port Monitoring Cell, but nothing had changed.
"Chittagong Port Authority has already made a decision to appoint new berth operators. Now the time has come to fulfil that promise," Salam told the news agency.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry's senior vice president MA Latif admitted that the port operators were charging at least 40 per cent more for their labourers than the rate.
Latif said the operators had been temporarily appointed and had now been working for about seven months.
"The chamber is in touch with the Chittagong Port Authority in order to invite tenders for the new berth operators," said Latif.
"An inflated charge for labourers is having a negative impact on the local market, which in turn pushes up the prices of imported goods."
"A certain quarter is trying to secure the contract for operating the berths without any tender process, this was delaying the decision."
"If competition is introduced to win the tenders the handling costs will fall," added Latif.
Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, chairman of the Bangladesh Master Stevedores Association disputed the businessmen's allegations.
"Our charges are in line with the chamber-fixed rate for labourers," said Chowdhury.
Chowdhury opposed any move to appoint berth operators through tenders as he felt it would 'only give rich businessmen the scope to do the job'.
"If that happens, financially weak but experienced operators will be forced out of the business," he said.
Following the caretaker government's assumption of power some reforms were proposed for managing the port.
The current administration cancelled the licences of many clearing and forwarding agents as well as about 3,200 workers who handled the port's goods.
Later, the handling task temporarily went to 51 master stevedore companies which still operate the port's loading and unloading work. Many workers who had lost their jobs returned to work for the newly appointed companies.