A government agency has been realising additional charges from shipping lines on account of overtime during the general holidays amid coronavirus pandemic.
The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), which is under the Ministry of Shipping, is realising Tk 3,000 as additional charges for issuing a no objection certificate (NOC) which is mandatory for each ship sailing out of the Chittagong Port.
The MMD office in Chattogram, however, argued that it is charging the amount as per government rules as they are providing services during holidays/vacation.
The shipping lines have expressed resentment over the additional charges as they believe this is a big burden put on them at a time when the industry is bleeding because of Covid-19 outbreak.
The Bangladesh Shipping Lines Association wrote a letter against the move to the MMD office a couple of days back. In response, the office sent a letter to the association on Wednesday. The Financial Express has obtained both the letters.
Contacted, head of MMD Captain Giash Uddin Ahmed told the FE that his office has realised the charges as per an order issued by the finance ministry.
The amount collected will be deposited to the government consolidated fund as non-tax revenue, he added.
Captain Ahmed, the principal officer at MMD, said that he has already talked with the director general (shipping) about the issue.
"We will no longer realise the charges ...." he told the FE on Wednesday noon.
But a number of shipping lines told the FE that the MMD office has realised charges on Wednesday as well.
Captain AS Chowdhury, head of Sea Consortium, a leading feeder line, told the FE: "We have paid Tk 21,000 for seven vessels on Wednesday."
Captain Chowdhury also said that he had a conversation with the MMD office on the issue on Monday.
But the office didn't pay heed to his complaint about the charges, he added. He also said 60 per cent of the charges would go to the MMD as per the rule and the remaining 40 per cent be deposited to the national treasury.
Ahsanul Huq Chowdhury, chairman at the Bangladesh Shipping Lines Association (BSLA), told the FE that the current holidays are not like other holidays.
This is a period of deep crisis for all; this cannot be compared to normal situation, he commented. "We earlier did not protest such additional charges."
He also said shipping is an important sector and the people working in this sector have been making efforts to keep the supply chain rolling. The MMD issues the NOC after inspecting all requisite documents of crews and vessels. It also checks to see whether the vessel has paid all dues, including the light house payment.
Bangladesh records 5,000 voyages, on an average, by container ships, break-bulk and bulk-carriers a year. The MMD issues NOC for each voyage.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com
