All importers, both commercial and manufacturers, will enjoy waiver of port store rent until May 04 for the containers imported during the ongoing holidays.
The waiver of store rent will be applicable to the products that have landed in Chattogram port on March 27 and onwards.
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) on Tuesday issued an order, signed by its director (traffic), exempting such rent in a bid to ease congestion in the port.
It has requested all the importers to take delivery of their imported goods from the port during this period.
The government declared public holidays on March 26 and extended the holidays until May 05 in phases to check the COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh.
On Monday, the CPA issued another order exempting rent until May 04 only for members of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
Earlier on April 04, it exempted store rent for importers but scrapped the facility on April 20.
Within a week, the CPA again issued the two latest orders exempting the store rent for the containers imported on March 27 and onwards.
Importers said the issuance of multiple orders on store rent proved a serious lack of coordination between the service-providing entities of the government.
Commercial importers said they were not allowed to get release of their products until April 21 as per an order of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Customs authorities provided services on a limited scale for emergency goods and raw materials.
Later, they resumed full-scale customs assessment for all goods from April 22, allowing commercial importers to take delivery of their goods.
Solaiman Parsee Faisal of Multitrade Bangladesh said he released goods from Chattogram port on Monday paying store rent as there was no waiver offered for commercial importers.
"We couldn't release goods from ports from March 27 to April 21 due to limited customs activities. So, waiver of store rent was not applicable to commercial importers."
Mr Faisal said the government is supposed to refund the paid amount to resolve discrimination.
"We have to pay store rent for taking quick delivery of goods due to indecisiveness of the government," he added.
CPA director (traffic) Enamul Karim said the government is providing all sorts of facility to the businesses under the current coronavirus situation.
"If the commercial importers submit refund applications, the government may consider refunding the paid store rent for this period," he cited.
Customs officials said there is still congestion in the port despite multiple NBR steps like allowing private off-docks to handle all goods to resolve this problem.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
