National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan today emphasized the need to increase the use of Mongla Port to help alleviate congestion at the busy Chittagong Port.
“If the use of Mongla Port can be increased, then congestion in Chittagong (Port) will be reduced, activities will increase, costs will be reduced and the people will be more benefitted,” he said on Tuesday.
He made these comments during a visit to Mongla Port, where he held meetings with customs officials and C&F agents, and conducted a site visit to the Mongla Port Jetty, according to a BSS report.
During the meeting, Rahman outlined the benefits of expanding Mongla Port’s operations. He stressed that by improving the use of the port, operational activities would increase, costs would decrease, and overall public benefits would grow, while also reducing pressure on the Chittagong Port.
He noted that Mongla Port currently has low usage despite its potential, and increasing its operations could bring significant economic advantages.
Rahman highlighted that the NBR and government have been focused on budget preparations over the past three months, and now the priority is to identify and address any issues at the operational level. He mentioned that the government aims to enhance the operational capacity of the Mongla Customs House and encouraged local businesses to take full advantage of the port’s capabilities.
The NBR Chairman also discussed the possibility of increasing the volume of imported vehicles through Mongla Port, which currently handles most of the imported cars. Rahman stressed that if businesses find the services offered at Mongla Port beneficial, they should make use of the port more frequently, leading to increased capacity and efficiency.
The meeting was attended by key figures, including NBR Member (Customs Policy and ICT) Muhammad Mubinul Kabir, Member (Customs and VAT Administration) Md. Moazzem Hossain, and Mongla Customs House Commissioner Md. Shafiuzzaman, as well as representatives from the Mongla Port C&F Association.