CPA to operate Kamalapur ICD for ten more yrs, jt meet decides

FE Report A joint meeting of two ministries Tuesday decided that Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) would operate Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (ICD) for 10 more years ending 2021, keeping aside Bangladesh Railway's much-cherished desire to run it. Two key cabinet ministers -- shipping minister Shajahan Khan and communications minister Syed Abul Hossain -- took the decision amicably at a meeting held at Rail Bhavan in the city. "We've decided that CPA will operate the vital depot for 10 more years," Syed Abul Hossain told the FE. He also said the Bangladesh Railway (BR) would not shoulder the responsibility of the depot as it is now trying to improve its communication services. He, however, said profits would be divided into two equal segments each year. Mr Hossain said a joint committee would review the performance in running the ICD after the end of five years. CPA officials said they are expecting to sign a new agreement with BR shortly in this connection. The users, comprising customs agents and importers, who earlier threatened a tough programme against the government move to hand over the ICD to the BR, have welcomed the decision. "The government decision is right and we welcome this," said Shajahan Ali Mondol, president of Dhaka Customs Agents Association. Earlier, a committee was formed to hand over the depot worth Tk 12 billion to BR as the 15-year agreement with CPA expired in December, 2010. The BR in 2010 wanted to operate the ICD from January 2011 insisting that such a move would help reduce railway losses. Currently, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is operating the ICD, built on 33 acres of railway land, under a 15-year agreement with BR, which expired December 31 last year. The Dhaka ICD, which began operation in 1987, handles more than 70,000 import-export containers a year, nearly 7.0 per cent of the country's total container handling The CPA signed the agreement with BR in 1996 and paid the BR Tk 500 million for expansion work of the depot. The agreement stipulates that CPA will be responsible for operation and management of the ICD until 2010. Kamalapur ICD is an extended area of Chittagong port and all kinds of import and export can be dealt with by the depot, established by a Presidential Order in 1987.