A consignment of Bhutanese transit goods arriving from Thailand under the Bangladesh–Bhutan transit agreement has successfully been delivered from Chattogram port.
The consignment was handed over after 7:00pm on Wednesday by the importer’s representative, Chattogram-based C&F agent N M Trading Corporation.
“We took delivery of the container after completing all customs procedures and paying the required duties and taxes,” said Shahidul Islam Khan, managing director of NM Trading Corporation.
“The container of Bhutan’s transit goods was released from Chattogram Port on Wednesday evening,” he added.
After delivery, the consignment travelled by road from Chattogram to the Burimari Land Port, entered India through the Changrabandha Land Port in West Bengal, and will proceed via Siliguri to Bhutan.
According to N M Trading Corporation, the clearing agent has already paid Tk 21,000 in road transport tolls and fees. An additional Tk 58,000 has also been deposited as security escort charges.
The 6,530-kilogram trial consignment includes shampoo, dried palm fruit, iced tea, chocolate and juice. The goods were shipped by Abit Trading Company Limited of Thailand, which is also the importer in Bhutan.
The shipment left Thailand’s Laem Chabang Port on September 8 and arrived at Chattogram Port on September 22. The bill of entry for customs clearance was submitted to Chattogram Custom House on Saturday, November 22.
Chattogram Custom House spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner HM Kabir said that four assistant revenue officers have been deployed to escort the consignment from Chattogram Port to Burimari.
Bangladesh and Bhutan signed the transit agreement on March 22, 2023, allowing Bhutan to transport goods through Bangladeshi territory as a land transit route. If the trial consignment reaches Bhutan smoothly, regular transit shipments may commence, subject to Bhutan’s decision.
The trial shipment of Bhutan-bound transit goods had remained stuck at Chattogram port on Tuesday after the clearing and forwarding agent failed to secure the delivery order from the shipping agent despite paying the relevant customs-related charges.
CPA Secretary Omar Faruk told TIMES that the port was fully prepared to hand over the container, but the procedural delay was caused by the agent.
“The port authority is ready to deliver the cargo at any time. However, the C&F agent could not collect the delivery order from the shipping agent after paying various fees. We expect the process to be completed by Wednesday,” he said.
