CCH extends dual delivery policy for importers

CHATTOGRAM, Sept 29: The Chittagong Customs House (CCH) has extended the permission for importers to take delivery of 38 types of imported goods, including food products specified by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) from both the jetties of the Chittagong sea port and private Inland Container Depots (ICDs).

This permission is granted on the request of the Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents Association earlier. The permission will now be valid for more three months from October to December in the current year.

Deputy Commissioner of CCH Khairul Bashar confirmed the extension of permission for importers to take delivery of 38 types of imported goods. According to the decision of CCH, importers can choose to take delivery of ICD-bound goods either from the jetty of the Chittagong port or the 19 private ICDs located in the area.

Talking with The Financial Express, General Secretary of Chattogram C&F Agents Association Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu said that CCH took the decision to take delivery of 38 types of imported goods, including food products specified by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) from both the Chittagong port and private ICDs for the interest of the importers and stakeholders. The importers prefer to take delivery from the port because it can take time to transfer containers from the port to the ICDs for unloading. In such cases, importers find it more efficient to collect their goods directly from the jetties of the Chittagong sea port."

He said, "Private ICDs have no capacity to handle the containers and there is shortage of space in the ICDs. Moreover, private ICDs take more time to move the containers causing the loss of the importers."

Talking with The Financial Express, president of Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) Nurul Qyuim Khan expressed concerns that this dual delivery policy will lead to container congestion and disrupt the normal operations of the port. He said that no other major port in the world follows a system where goods and containers are delivered directly from the port yard.

BICDA Chief said, "there is no any example of deliver the goods from jetty of the ports in the world. We sent letter to NBR to stop the dual delivery earlier. But, CCH did not take our opinion in this regard as a stakeholder. In the past, meetings were held with BICDA and other stakeholders to gather feedback. Now, these permissions are granted unilaterally."

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