Govt working on fool-proof scanners for Ctg Port to check revenue leakage
Saturday, 7 July 2007
S M Jahangir
After five years of lull, the government has expedited the process of installing fool-proof scanning machines at the country's premier seaport in Chittagong to check revenue leakage through preventing false declarations on both exports and imports.
Other important purpose of installing such modern scanners is to prevent entry as well as exit of illegal goods through the export-import hub.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) sources said tenders will be invited shortly in this connection.
"Necessary formalities are being completed to install five units of scanning devices at Chittagong Port. Hopefully, such scanning devices would be installed at the seaport by next March," a senior NBR official told the FE.
The authorities with the technical assistance from the US government have already appointed foreign consultants for specifying the much-talked-about installation process, a senior official said.
The main tasks of the consultants will be to carry out a feasibility study on the project and assess its implementation costs, he mentioned.
Official sources, however, said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has already assured the government of providing funds for procurement of such scanning devices.
In early 2003, an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the then Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman decided to install six modern scanning machines at the country's two seaports, the Kamalapur ICD (Inland Container Depot) and Benapole landport in two phases.
The government took the decision against the backdrop of continuous international pressure, sources mentioned.
The meeting also decided that three of the scanners - two at Chittagong seaport and another at Kamalapur ICD - would be installed by December, 2003 while the three others were scheduled to be set up by July 2004.
Besides, a four-member committee, headed by Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) was formed to carry forward the implementation process of the project.
The committee also comprised representatives from the port authority, Customs Department and NSI, according to official sources.
But the decision could not be materialised due to multifarious problems, including non-availability of funds and bureaucratic bottleneck.
The meeting was told that the total installation cost of six scanning machines, having two units each, could be Tk 4.0 billion (400 crore) to Tk 5.0 billion.
According to officials, the export-import containers at ports and the ICD are checked manually due to lack of such scanners.
As a result, the authorities are able to inspect only 15 to 20 per cent of the containers.
Currently, nearly 80 per cent of the country's total imports enter and more than 90 per cent of the total exports take place through Chittagong seaport alone, NBR sources said.
After five years of lull, the government has expedited the process of installing fool-proof scanning machines at the country's premier seaport in Chittagong to check revenue leakage through preventing false declarations on both exports and imports.
Other important purpose of installing such modern scanners is to prevent entry as well as exit of illegal goods through the export-import hub.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) sources said tenders will be invited shortly in this connection.
"Necessary formalities are being completed to install five units of scanning devices at Chittagong Port. Hopefully, such scanning devices would be installed at the seaport by next March," a senior NBR official told the FE.
The authorities with the technical assistance from the US government have already appointed foreign consultants for specifying the much-talked-about installation process, a senior official said.
The main tasks of the consultants will be to carry out a feasibility study on the project and assess its implementation costs, he mentioned.
Official sources, however, said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has already assured the government of providing funds for procurement of such scanning devices.
In early 2003, an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the then Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman decided to install six modern scanning machines at the country's two seaports, the Kamalapur ICD (Inland Container Depot) and Benapole landport in two phases.
The government took the decision against the backdrop of continuous international pressure, sources mentioned.
The meeting also decided that three of the scanners - two at Chittagong seaport and another at Kamalapur ICD - would be installed by December, 2003 while the three others were scheduled to be set up by July 2004.
Besides, a four-member committee, headed by Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) was formed to carry forward the implementation process of the project.
The committee also comprised representatives from the port authority, Customs Department and NSI, according to official sources.
But the decision could not be materialised due to multifarious problems, including non-availability of funds and bureaucratic bottleneck.
The meeting was told that the total installation cost of six scanning machines, having two units each, could be Tk 4.0 billion (400 crore) to Tk 5.0 billion.
According to officials, the export-import containers at ports and the ICD are checked manually due to lack of such scanners.
As a result, the authorities are able to inspect only 15 to 20 per cent of the containers.
Currently, nearly 80 per cent of the country's total imports enter and more than 90 per cent of the total exports take place through Chittagong seaport alone, NBR sources said.