Mongla port turns into a parking lot for imported cars
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Jasim Uddin Haroon
Mongla port officials Monday said the seaport has emerged as the premier destination for re-conditioned vehicles, surpassing the Chitagong port, in terms of car handling. They also said the importers prefer Mongla port than Chittagong port mainly due to its cheap wharf rents. According to Mongla port statistics, it has a stockpile of nearly 6000 re-conditioned cars as of Monday. On the other hand, Chittagong port has a little over than 3000 cars. Car importers have to pay Tk 16.20 for each tonne at Mongla port while Chittagong port realises nearly Tk100 each tonne. They have to pay Tk 8.10 for each tonne if the car importers keep their vehicles out of sheds at Mongla port. Each car weighs, on an average, two tonnes. It is alleged that car importers have been using the port as their warehouse taking advantage of small rents as Dhaka's show rooms have limited space to accommodate those. Md Mahbubullah, director (traffic) of Mongla port told the FE: "Since June 2009, a total of 11000 vehicles have so far arrived at our port. But the rate of delivery is very slow." Each day delivery is, on an average, 10-12 cars, officials said. Some 33 ro-ro car carriers called at the port since June 6, 2009. The port is handling, on an average, two car carriers a month. The government has been encouraging car import destination at Mongla since 2009 to avoid car jam at Chittagong port. Abdul Mannan, president of Barvida, an association of old motorized cars, told the FE: "Big importers are keeping their cars at the port due to its wharf rents." Mr Mannan also said, importers can bring cars within 5-6 hours from Mongla port. It takes 10-12 hours to reach Dhaka from Chittagong port. However, Mongla port officials said the volume of revenue earnings has increased following arrival of cars in the port. Traffic official, Muktadir, said the port is now planning to accommodate 4000 more cars shortly. Import of reconditioned cars in the country has increased following bank financing and the buying spree by emerging upper middle class in the city. Importers procure, on an average, 35000-36000 cars a year. Officials and sellers said expansion of car financing facility by leading private commercial banks coupled with a shopping spree by the country's upper middle class people pushed the car sales to a record high.
Mongla port officials Monday said the seaport has emerged as the premier destination for re-conditioned vehicles, surpassing the Chitagong port, in terms of car handling. They also said the importers prefer Mongla port than Chittagong port mainly due to its cheap wharf rents. According to Mongla port statistics, it has a stockpile of nearly 6000 re-conditioned cars as of Monday. On the other hand, Chittagong port has a little over than 3000 cars. Car importers have to pay Tk 16.20 for each tonne at Mongla port while Chittagong port realises nearly Tk100 each tonne. They have to pay Tk 8.10 for each tonne if the car importers keep their vehicles out of sheds at Mongla port. Each car weighs, on an average, two tonnes. It is alleged that car importers have been using the port as their warehouse taking advantage of small rents as Dhaka's show rooms have limited space to accommodate those. Md Mahbubullah, director (traffic) of Mongla port told the FE: "Since June 2009, a total of 11000 vehicles have so far arrived at our port. But the rate of delivery is very slow." Each day delivery is, on an average, 10-12 cars, officials said. Some 33 ro-ro car carriers called at the port since June 6, 2009. The port is handling, on an average, two car carriers a month. The government has been encouraging car import destination at Mongla since 2009 to avoid car jam at Chittagong port. Abdul Mannan, president of Barvida, an association of old motorized cars, told the FE: "Big importers are keeping their cars at the port due to its wharf rents." Mr Mannan also said, importers can bring cars within 5-6 hours from Mongla port. It takes 10-12 hours to reach Dhaka from Chittagong port. However, Mongla port officials said the volume of revenue earnings has increased following arrival of cars in the port. Traffic official, Muktadir, said the port is now planning to accommodate 4000 more cars shortly. Import of reconditioned cars in the country has increased following bank financing and the buying spree by emerging upper middle class in the city. Importers procure, on an average, 35000-36000 cars a year. Officials and sellers said expansion of car financing facility by leading private commercial banks coupled with a shopping spree by the country's upper middle class people pushed the car sales to a record high.