Port users, operators differ on charges

CHITTAGONG, Mar 28: The Port Users' Forum discussed on Saturday different charges claimed by the ICDs (inland container depots), shipping agents and main line operators on import containers.
MA Latif MP, representatives of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and the Chittagong Custom House (CCH) were present.
BGMEA, BKMEA, importers, C&F agents and chamber leaders have claimed that the charges were not uniform and so illogical while the shipping agents, MLOs (main line operators) and ICD operators tried to justify their charges.
All stakeholders or port users, however, emphasised coming to a solution through discussion on the charges and ended the meeting with forming a 23-member Monitoring Cell including representation from the CPA and CCH.
MA Latif, lawmaker from Bandar-Patenga constituency, is the adviser of the committee while Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Mahbubul Alam will head the Monitoring Cell.
Other members are: two representatives from the BGMEA, two representatives from the BKMEA, two from the C&F Agents Association, two from the MLOs, two from Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, two from freight forwarders (BAFFA), two from CCH, two from CPA, two from CCCI including its president, one representative from Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association, one from FBCCI and one from BICDA.
In his opening address CCCI president Mahbubul Alam said the freight forwarders charged an extra amount against prescribed charges on account of issuing NOC or delivery order.
He said that the freight forwarders enhanced the destination service charge from Tk 2000 to Tk 3500 per container with effect from February 1, 2015 in clear violation of the NBR directives.
One day halt charge for a container is US$ 24 and it rises to $ 168 in seven days which is illogical, he said.
He also demanded review of the documentation charges, cleaning charges and administrative charges claimed at different rates by different shipping agents and MLOs. Uniform charges should be ensured by shipping agents and MLOs, he said.
BGMEA first vice president Nasir Uddin Ahmed, CCCI director Mahfuzul Huq Shah, BGMEA director Anjan Shekhor Das, BSAA senior vice president Ahsanul Huq, MLO leader Shahed Sarwar, BKMEA leader Shawkat Osman, CCCI director AKM Akhtar Hossain , C&F Agents Association leader Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, Chittagong Port Terminal Manager Enamul Karim and joint commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Niazur Rahman among others discussed on different issues in the meeting chaired by CCCI president and chairman of the Port Users Forum Mahbubul Alam.
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