Businesses for better service from Ctg Customs House

CHITTAGONG, Jan 26: Businesses at a seminar today urged Customs and Port authorities to work in coordination and simplify rules to facilitate delivery of garment-related import consignments within a day as the industry is now facing a very tough situation.
The Time Release Study (TRS) conducted in October-November 2013 by National Board of Revenue (NBR) reveals that an import consignment takes about 11.50 days to be delivered while the export consignment takes about five days.
Chittagong Customs House (CCH) organised the seminar on the occasion of the International Customs Day at its auditorium. Earlier in the morning, the employees, workers and officials of the CCH brought out a colourful procession that paraded the streets in the port area.
The seminar was addressed by State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan as the chief guest while president of Customs, Excise and VAT (value added tax) Appellate Tribunal Enayet Hossain, BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) president Md Atiqul Islam, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahbubul Alam, Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Khalilur Rahman and Chittagong C&F Agents Association president AKM Akhter Hossain addressed it as special guests. Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Masud Sadiq chaired the seminar.
The keynote paper on Coordinated Border Management - An Inclusive Approach for Connecting Stakeholders was presented by Golam Kibria of Chittagong Customs House.
Portraying a very grim picture of the readymade garment (RMG) sector president of BGMEA Atiqul Islam said RMG export target of US$ 26.89 billion for the current fiscal year (FY 2014-15) will be very hard to achieve with the ongoing continuous blockade and hartal programmes enforced by the BNP and its allies.
"One day's blockade or hartal causes obstruction of RMG export worth Tk 6.95 billion. And if 50 per cent production in the RMG industries is hampered, the loss stands at Tk 2.15 billion a day," he said.
Normally a truck or covered van charges Tk 25,000-30,000 per trip between Dhaka and Chittagong but businesses are not getting a truck or covered van in the same route even at Tk 0.1 million during the current political impasse.
"We thank the government as members of the law enforcement agencies are escorting the export import cargoes in the highways but this cannot be termed a normal situation. The buyers also don't feel free from anxiety at this situation," he said.
CCCI president Mahbubul Alam said electronic L/C (letter of credit) has been introduced very recently but it will not bring us expected result if a coordinated automation system is not introduced in Bangladesh Bank, commercial banks, Chittagong Customs House, Chittagong Port Authority and other related organisations.
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