Take steps to stop cargo pilferage

CHITTAGONG, May 20: The Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CMCCI) has urged the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) to stop pilferage of import cargo from the port by taking measures according to the Ministry of Shipping directives.
In a letter to the CPA chairman the CMCCI Tuesday mentioned that pilferage of goods from the port through unsealed covered vans has increased alarmingly over the weeks.
"Stealing of goods from the Chittagong Port sheds has been a regular incident, but recently it has risen. Fabrics worth Tk 5.0 million, imported by Owners Group of former BGMEA president Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, have been recovered from Terri Bazar, a wholesale fabrics market in the city," the letter stated.
Besides, open sale of imported fabrics in the city's major markets is taking place regularly. Incidents of recovery of these fabrics and other goods prove that the security system of the Chittagong Port has slackened over the months, it added.
CMCCI vice-president A M Mahbub Chowdhury said on December 26, 2006 shipping ministry instructed CPA to allow only specially sealed covered vans out of the port sheds to check pilferage of goods. But the directive is not being strictly followed.
"The port security men cannot let all covered vans come out of the port sheds as per clauses 6 and 13 of the ministry guidelines," he added.
Earlier, Mahbub Chowdhury, BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) advisor for Chittagong Port affairs, BGMEA director Anjan Shekhar Das and deputy secretary of its Chittagong region Abdul Aziz met CPA acting chairman Nazrul Islam on Monday afternoon at his office. As per discussion of the meeting CMCCI wrote the letter to CPA.