Freight forwarders to resist some overseas cos get licences

FE Team | Published: July 10, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The Bangladesh Freight Forwarding Association (BAFFA), an organisation of the country's 600 freight forwarders, said it will resist some overseas companies get licences.
"We will resist foreign companies who have cheated the local traders during awarding of licences by the government under the new rules and regulations," said Badrul Haque, BAFFA president while talking to the FE Monday.
He also said companies, mainly hailed from Sri Lanka, cheated the traders and they used to charge Tk 10,000 to Tk 30,000 on each loaded containers.
He also said the companies had tried to become members of now defunct International Freight Forwarders Association of Bangladesh (IFFAB). But they could not be the members of the association for their alleged extortions of various charges from the exporters.
"Our business erand bad name in the country following presence of such companies. We cancelled memberships of the OCL and others for their involvement in cheating practices," Hoque added.
He hinted that they will resist dishonest companies numbering around 100 who are keen to get licences.
There were two different organisations representing freight forwarders across the country-IFFAB and Air Cargo Association of Bangladesh (ACAB). The freight forwarders merged both the associations and named it as BAFFA.
However, the task force fixed Tk 1500 on each bill of lading (B/L) few months back.
The government took initiative to issue licence to the freight forwarders under a new rule. The rules have been approved by the inter-ministerial meeting recently and now it is awaiting for final nod from the Chittagong Custom House and the freight forwarders.
The freight forwarders, who act on behalf of the consignees, have been doing their business without licences in the country.
Earlier, two previous governments took initiatives to bring them under a regulatory framework, but failed mainly due to filing of writ petitions in the High Court (HC) and other international lobbies.
Amirul Islam Chowdhury, president of now defunct IFAAB and a senior leader of the BAFFA told the FE that foreign companies mainly from Sri Lanka have been doing freight forwarding business in collaboration with some local buying houses.
"Besides, a number of local freight forwarders also gave them shelters in doing their business in the country taking the advantage of the void in licencing system of the business," he added.