Govt will take steps to ensure use of Pangaon ICT

The government is going to take steps soon to ensure use of the newly-built Pangaon inland container terminal (ICT) making it attractive to the traders, officials said.
"We are trying to increase operation of the modern terminal through motivation of the shipping agents. In addition, we will ask the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for requesting the shipping agents to deliver their products through the Pangaon ICT," ministry of shipping (MoS) senior assistant secretary Farhana Islam told the FE Tuesday last.
On the other hand, the government is considering imposing some mandatory conditions to use the ICT. The government has given licence to 38 private shipping agents to use the Pangaon ICT, she said.
At least 50 per cent imported raw cotton and capital machinery will have to delivered through the Pangaon ICT. The MoS at its meeting, presided over the shipping minister and held in January this year, took a decision in this regard.
A review meeting on the issue was held at the ministry in March 20. Representatives of different shipping agencies were present during the meeting.
Representatives of different shipping lines expressed willingness to use the ICT, said a source who attended the meeting.
A meeting source said releasing 50 per cent of raw cotton and capital machinery through the terminal might be made obligatory. In this connection, the ministry is working to make the terminal fully operational.
"We all are positive to deliver our products through the terminal. But not now, it will take time," a trader said.
A MoS official said the ministry has decided to review the container carrying charge to make use of the terminal attractive to the traders.
Presently, traders are not showing interest in using the terminal as carrying goods to and from Chittagong port to the ICT takes much higher time compared to carrying those by road. For this, there has been no major operational activity in the terminal after inauguration.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has procured three second hand container vessels to operate the Pangaon ICT initially, sources said.
Pangaon ICT was constructed at Keraniganj on the bank of Buriganga River by CPA in association with Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, both operated by the government under the Ministry of Shipping.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the Pangaon ICT in early November last year.