Chattogram Bureau :
In an effort to enhance port operations, the owners of the private inland container depots (ICDs) at Chattogram port have proposed to deliver all types of imported goods through the facilities of the port. The proposal was made by the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA) during a meeting with the Chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, recently..
Currently, private inland container depots (ICDs) are permitted to handle and deliver only 38 types of full container load (FCL) imported goods, as approved by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), from Chattogram port to their respective yards. This accounts for merely 18 per cent of the containerised imported goods processed through the port.
During the meeting, the BICDA delegation led by its President Nurul Qayyum Khan, presented six proposals aimed at increasing the efficiency of Chattogram port, says a BICDA press release.
Leaders of the association mentioned that no global port practices the opening and delivery of imported goods containers within port premises, as this hampers the port’s efficiency and leads to severe container and traffic congestion. Such practices result in long traffic jams on key roads surrounding the port, causing significant daily disruptions for city residents, they said.
Currently, Chattogram port relies solely on its 21 private ICDs, all located within 38 kilometres of the port, for the delivery of imported goods. These ICDs handle 93% of Bangladesh’s total containerised exports, according to BICDA.
Additionally, BICDA leaders called for the merger of two existing policies governing private ICDs-the Ministry of Shipping’s 2016 policy and the National Board of Revenue’s 2021 policy-into a single, streamlined policy for the private service industry sector. They also urged the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) to increase the number of container scanners.
The BICDA delegation included its Vice Presidents Alhaj Khalilur Rahman, Haji Mohammad Hossain, and Imran Fahim Noor, Secretary General Mohammad Ruhl Amin Sikdar, along with Director Mohammad Shah Alam, and Executive Director of KDS Logistics Ltd Ahsanul Kabir.
The CPA chairman was accompanied by Member (Finance) Mohammad Shahidul Alam, Director (Transport) Enamul Karim, and the CPA Secretary Md. Omar Faruk.