Private ICDs handle more imported items

FE Team | Published: May 23, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: May 22, 2015 21:52:05

FE Report
Import handling by private inland container depots (ICDs) has widened further as the government recently allowed eight more items to be released by them in favour of consignees.
This is expected to facilitate import trade as the consignees face many hassles in taking delivery of goods from Chittagong port yards.
Now the consignees are receiving their imported goods directly from the private depots in Chittagong.
With the approval of the eight new products, the tally of handling imports by the private container depots stands at 37, equivalent to around 30 per cent of the country's total imports.
This time most of the import items go to feed the industries.
President of Feed Industries of Bangladesh Moshiur Rahman told the FE: "There were a number of complexities in taking delivery from the port. For this reason, we've been advocating for long to take delivery from the private depots."
He said: "We're taking delivery from the depots much faster and cost is low here," Mr Rahman, who is also managing director of the Paragon Poultry.
To take delivery from the port, consignees had to pay much as there were 'miscellaneous costs' in addition to the government's regular tariffs.
However, private inland container depots charge Tk 6,500 for handling each 20-foot container.
Port officials said this is a good move by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as it will keep port free of congestion.
Senior officials at the Chittagong Port Authority told the FE all FCL (full container load) boxes should be delivered from the private depots.
Terminal manager at the Chittagong Port Enamul Karim said there is hardly any port in the world which handles FCL cargoes inside the port territory.
The government usually does not want to handle import cargoes outside the port's restricted area as there are many risks. Contraband items might enter the country along with fake declarations.
But this type of import might also take place inside the port's territory.
However, the new items are Soyabean Meal/Extraction, DDGS, Rice Bran, Corn Glutten Meal, Rap Seed Extraction, Palm Kemels, Maize and Soyabean.
Mohd Ruhul Amin Sikder, an official at the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots, said they still have adequate space to handle more imports in 18 depots in Chittagong.
He said available space to handle imports in the private ICDs is around 45,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).
"We believe we will handle around 20,000 TEUs with the inclusion of new list of import items," he said.
However, the depots handle nearly 90 per cent of the country's total exports.
These handled nearly 23 per cent of total imports in 2014 under 29 allowed items at a time when the new eight products were not included.
On the other hand, the Chittagong Port handled 77 per cent which is more than 834,000 TEUs in 2014.
The government first allowed them to handle import in 2007 through nine items. Later, eight more were added.
In 2012, 12 more products were included and later in April last eight more import products were added.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com