Chattogram Custom House has withheld the release of a 28-tonne consignment of rock salt imported from Pakistan due to the absence of a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Industries.
The shipment has remained stuck at Chattogram port for nearly two weeks following the government’s stricter enforcement of the National Salt Policy-2022.
According to customs sources, the consignment was imported by Warda & Jubayer Agro Industries Limited, a Chattogram-based firm, from the Pakistani exporter Peak Minerals Private Limited.
The goods, which arrived in a 20-foot container packed in 1,120 bags, had their bill of entry submitted on May 4 by the C&F agent, Tasmia Enterprise. However, customs authorities refused to release the cargo because the documentation did not include the Ministry of Industries’ NOC or availability certificate.
The invoice value of the imported goods was recorded at US$6,440. Authorities have assessed a total government revenue of Tk 683,455.97 against the consignment, encompassing customs duty, regulatory duty, supplementary duty, VAT, advance income tax, and advance tax.
Banking and Letter of Credit (LC) formalities were handled by NCC Bank Limited.
Kamrul Hasan, Customer Service Department executive at Warda & Jubayer Agro Industries Limited, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the Customs House has “unfairly detained” their imported goods.
Meanwhile, sources at the Chittagong Custom House said that clearance of consignments belonging to Warda & Jubayer Agro Industries Limited, along with several other companies, has been suspended due to the same issue.
Md Absar, the proprietor of Tasmia Enterprise, and Akbar Chowdhury, an official associated with the shipment, both declined to comment on the matter.
Under the National Salt Policy-2022, the import of crude salt is restricted except for essential purposes to protect the domestic salt industry and local producers.
The policy mandates that importers obtain a recommendation or availability certificate from the Ministry of Industries before importing any variety of salt.
Touhida Islam, assistant commissioner of Chattogram Custom House, confirmed that Ministry approval is compulsory for importing sodium chloride and similar products under the current framework.
She noted that while such items were previously released as industrial raw materials based on import permits, strict enforcement began on April 23 this year.
“Now, no salt consignment is being cleared without approval from the Ministry of Industries,” she stated, adding that the goods would only be released once the required documents are submitted in accordance with the law.
In Bangladesh, rock salt – often referred to as bit salt or Himalayan pink salt—is utilised in the food, spice, and herbal medicine industries, as well as by health-conscious consumers and restaurants.
To safeguard local industries, the government has tightened controls on these imports. Rock salt is imported under HS Code 2510030, which currently carries an overall duty burden of approximately 93.16 per cent.
National Board of Revenue data shows that while 628.65 tonnes were imported in April last year, no import data was recorded for the first three months of this year.
