Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said that if allegations of harassment against importers by officials and employees at Chittagong Port are proven, action will be taken in accordance with the law and regulations.
He made the remarks on Tuesday during a session of the Jatiya Sangsad, responding in writing to a question from MP Md Abdullah. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram presided over the session.
In his question, Abdullah said that some dishonest customs officials at Chittagong Port allegedly harass importers by demanding repeated inspections, even after a 100 per cent examination of goods. He asked whether the government had any plans to prevent such harassment and how quickly such measures would be implemented.
In reply, the minister said that to prevent such harassments, a Customs Risk Management Commissionerate has been established, and initiatives have been taken to launch its operations from July of the upcoming fiscal year.
Risk Management module of the ASYCUDA World system has been upgraded to make automated risk management more modern and effective, he added.
Additional measures include ensuring prior approval from the relevant authorities before any re-inspection, increasing the use of scanning technology, and strengthening monitoring activities. The minister said these steps have been taken to further reinforce the prevention of harassment at Chittagong Port.
