Export-import operations getting in full gear with systems resurrection

Export-import operations get back in full gear with the resurrection of electronic systems of port processing after a breakdown amid countrywide internet blackout.

Both Chittagong Custom House and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) have said the internet-network systems are now working smoothly in the seaport area in completing trade-clearance processes.

"The CCH started clearing goods more than average on Wednesday to ensure smooth delivery of essential commodities and avoid any congestion in port," says an official.

The CCH and the CPA stopped manual clearance and restored electronic systems on July 23, officials said.

A senior customs official said the CCH assessed some 8,153 bills of export and import Wednesday--it usually clears 7,000 per day on average. On Tuesday, the CCH cleared 3,853 export-import documents.

Officials of CCH, however, say cargo delivery has been slow for few days due to manual assessment as the customs process is solely dependent on Asycuda worldwide network.

"We had resumed 50 per cent of customs-assessment activity since July 23, 2024 and it returned to normal on Wednesday," the official says.

The customs house in the port city CCH is receiving duty taxes through electronic payment switching back from the temporary manual system, he adds.

Md Omar Faruk, Secretary of the CPA, told the FE that there was no congestion in the port yet as its capacity is higher than what it needs to deal with the current stock of goods.

"The Chittagong port has the capacity to store 53,000 TEUs of goods while existing goods aggregated 41,000 TEUs as of Thursday," he said.

Mr Faruk, however, said the pressure of imported goods awaiting delivery increased Thursday as some of the importers could not release goods for the unrest that rattled normal life and business across Bangladesh centering round students' quota-reform movement.

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