CHITTAGONG, Feb 16: Two fixed container scanners are set to be installed and inaugurated at the Chittagong Port tomorrow (Saturday).
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury will formally inaugurate these newly imported container scanners.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) plans to install a total of six modern container scanners at Chittagong Port to facilitate export-import trade, with the initial installation of two scanners.
An agreement was signed between NBR and Nuctech Company Limited, a partially state-owned Chinese security inspection products company, on January 4 last year. Subsequently, two scanners have already arrived at the port.
Chittagong port jetties have a total of 12 gates, out of which seven gates have scanners, and physical tests were previously conducted at the remaining gates by Chattogram Custom House (CCH).
The existing seven scanners are located at General Cargo Berth (GCB) gate (Gate I), New-mooring Container Terminal (NCT) gate, Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) Gates 2, 3, 4, and 5. Additionally, mobile scanners are present at CCT Gate 2 and GCB Gate.
Among the seven existing scanners, five were installed in 2009, while two mobile scanners were added in 2017.
The new fixed container scanners will complement the current CCH scanners, with the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) emphasising that scanner installation is the responsibility of the customs authority.
The new scanners boast improved penetration capabilities.
The benefits of these additions are expected within the next eight months, contributing to enhanced capacity in export and import trade, prevention of smuggling, public health preservation, and a reduction in the country's security threats.
CCH officials mentioned that the NBR is taking steps to purchase 14 new scanning machines, with allocations based on Chittagong port's requirements.
Alamgir Parvej, Director of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI), highlighted the increasing volume of imports and exports through Chittagong port annually. Customs authorities expressed intentions to install even more new scanners in the future.
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