The government has decided to form a high-level joint committee comprising the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), Chattogram Custom House, National Board of Revenue (NBR) and business representatives to address longstanding problems at the port and customs.
The committee will work to ease congestion, reduce trade costs and shorten the time needed to clear goods, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said on Tuesday.
The decision came at a nearly three-hour closed-door meeting with port, customs and business representatives at the Chattogram Port Building.
The meeting also decided to take immediate steps to clear around 10,000 containers stuck at the port, speed up the movement of empty containers, simplify customs procedures and introduce a fully digital, paperless customs system.
The finance minister said the joint committee would identify problems faced by traders and develop specific solutions with clear deadlines.
“We want to make trade and business easier and less costly. Port and customs authorities will have to work together to make their activities more transparent and dynamic,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Amir Khosru said the government would prioritise paperless declarations, online-based customs services and reducing procedural complications to improve the business environment around Chattogram Port.
He also announced a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, harassment and irregularities at the port and customs.
“There will be no scope for corruption, nepotism or patronage under the current government. No matter how powerful those involved in irregularities are, they will not get any concessions,” he said.
Focus on port efficiency
The minister said strengthening Chattogram Port and logistics infrastructure was essential to achieving Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2034.
Additional port charges and lengthy customs procedures ultimately increase the prices of imported goods and put pressure on consumers, he said.
Reducing such costs would therefore benefit the general public, he added.
Asked about the operation of the New Mooring Container Terminal, Amir Khosru said the operator’s identity was not the main issue.
“Whoever operates the port, whether domestic or foreign, will have to follow the same principles and protect the interests of the country’s economy, people and businesses,” he said.
He also said the government wanted to create an environment where closed industries could reopen and businesses could operate without unnecessary obstacles and at lower costs.
The minister said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was preparing a major plan for Chattogram to develop the city not only as a logistics hub but also as a centre of regional economic activity.
An ADB vice-president is visiting Chattogram as part of the initiative, he said.
Traders seek implementation
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammed Amirul Haque described the meeting as a “breakthrough” and “milestone”, saying businesses now wanted implementation rather than further discussions.
He said the government had decided to expedite the auction process for around 10,000 containers accumulated at the port and address customs-related procedural problems on a daily basis.
Chattogram C&F Agents Association President SM Saiful Alam said a lack of coordination between the port and customs had long been causing problems for importers and clearing and forwarding agents.
He called for speedy implementation of decisions on updating the Inland Container Depot policy, expanding bonded facilities and accelerating auctions to facilitate the release of imported goods and reduce congestion.
BGMEA Director Saifullah Mansur said the garment industry in Chattogram had declined sharply over the years due to policy gaps and administrative complications.
The city once had around 700 garment factories, but the number has fallen below 300, he said, warning that continued obstacles at the port and customs could further weaken the sector’s competitiveness.
Mansur also alleged that goods worth thousands of crores of taka had been smuggled through several shipping lines since 2000 by unloading consignments abroad without proper banking documents.
He said the finance minister had ordered the formation of a high-level investigation committee to look into the allegations.
According to Mansur, officials found responsible for harassing businesses would face strict action, including being placed in the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) system rather than simply being transferred.
