The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has permitted handling of all types of import containers through private inland container depots (ICDs) to lower congestion in the Chittagong Port during the pandemic-induced lockdown, officials said.
Earlier, the ICDs were allowed to handle 38 types of goods-laden import containers. But from now on they can handle all kinds of import containers until August 31, according to an NBR notification - issued on Sunday.
In normal days, around 4,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers are delivered from the Chittagong Port yards. However, since the Eid day the number of containers delivered from the port yards has declined drastically, stockpiling boxes in the yards.
On July 22 (Thursday), only 128 TEUs of containers were delivered from the port yards while 582 TEUs were delivered on Friday and 1,010 TEUs on Saturday.
Due to the slow delivery, the number of containers in the port yards stood at 42,173 TEUs at the end of Saturday, against the port's total storing capacity of 49,018 TEUs.
The NBR has now decided that all kinds of import containers can be handled through the ICDs in order to lower the number of boxes in the port yards for ensuring smooth operational activities.
The ICDs are now given permission to store, un-stuff and deliver all kinds of containers from their premises.
The NBR in its notification said 100 per cent import containers have to be scanned before shifting those from the port yards to the off docks.
All commercial goods-laden containers, shifted to the off docks, have to be 100 per cent physically checked by the Chittagong customs officials and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate representative before their delivery.
Meantime, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) warned the importers on Saturday of imposing penalty on containers, staying in the yards for more than four days of free time.
Secretary of Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) Ruhul Amin Sikder said 19 privately-owned ICDs have a total capacity to store 78,700 TEUs while they had 53,845 TEUs of containers stored on Sunday.
Some 13,000 TEUs of export goods-laden containers, against usual volume of 6,000 TEUs, ate up a large chunk of the capacity, he told the FE.
"We may be able to store an additional 15,000 TEUs of containers," he said.
The ICDs cannot occupy more than 85 per cent of their storage capacity, as they need to keep some free space to handle boxes smoothly, he added.
CPA Chairman M Shahjahan told the FE that businesses requested them to keep the port operational round the clock, and steps were taken accordingly.
"But the importers are not taking delivery of containers now, creating stockpile of boxes in port yards."
He said the importers were asked to take delivery of containers quickly or to face penalty.
President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Mahbubul Alam told the FE that businesses were not taking delivery of boxes, as their factories and warehouses remained closed during the ongoing lockdown.
"There are no labourers to handle containers in factories or warehouses. Life is more valuable than livelihood," he said, adding that the government should not impose penalty for containers lying in the port yards.
Mr Alam also demanded not charging importers additionally as their containers would be sent to the ICDs.
Meantime, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Sunday at a virtual meeting urged the government to allow taking delivery of containers from Chittagong port and keeping apparel factories open in limited scale during the lockdown period in the interest of the country's export trade.
BGMEA first vice president Syed Nazrul Islam said due to factory closure and in the absence of commercial officers the businesses are failing to take delivery of import containers.
Besides, shipment of goods is being hampered as factories remain closed and thus the buyers may suspend and cancel orders and may seek price cuts, he said.
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