341 stranded cars to be released from ports soon

The government is going to release soon 341 cars remaining stuck up for many years at the Chittagong and Mongla seaports because of an age bar, sources have said.
A recent meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister's principal secretary, decided that the ministry of commerce would consider issuance of clearance permits (CP) to pave the way for release of the cars from the ports.
The meeting also decided that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) would realise fine accordingly before allowing delivery of these cars.
The importers will have to take delivery of the cars within 30 days of issuance of a release order by the customs authority.
If they fail to take delivery of the cars within the timeframe, the customs authority will auction them off. The cars will be confiscated in favour of the state, if the first auction fails to get any buyer.
Only the cars which reached the ports before June 30 last will enjoy the facility of delivery through the CP system.
Officials said the cars had remained stuck up for years as the customs authority had not released them due to an age bar. According to the import policy, import of cars older by more than five years is forbidden in Bangladesh.
Sources said Prime Minister's economic adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman recently visited the Mongla port and wrote a letter to Finance Minister AMA Muhith requesting him to release the cars which had remained stuck up for years. He also put forward some proposals on how to release the cars.
After his letter, the Prime Minister's Office has taken the move to release the cars and save the space at the ports as well as help the customs department realise the unpaid revenue.
However, local importers have denounced the decision to release the cars, the delivery of which was restricted because of the age bar, through issuance of clearance permits (CP). The move was contrary to the government's import policy, he added.
"Releasing cars through the CP system will encourage importers to violate the policy and import older cars in a larger number," president of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) Habib Ullah Dawn told the FE.
He said to stop the practice of importing vehicles beyond the permitted age limit, the government should auction the cars stockpiled at the ports.
"You must punish the importers-by making them financially losers for the offence-to stop such a practice," he added.
Director of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and leading car importer Abdul Haque, however, welcomed the government's decision.
It would provide a relief to some importers, because a good amount of their investments had remained stuck up for a long time, he added.
He said the CP system was clearly mentioned in the country's import policy and earlier many cars were released by issuing CPs.
When asked if release of the restricted cars through issuance of CPs would encourage importers to further import such older cars in future or not, Mr Haque answered in the negative.