NBR orders same-day transfer from Ctg port

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has directed that containers destined for Inland Container Depots (ICDs) must be moved from Chattogram port on the same day they are unloaded from vessels.

If a full consignment cannot be transferred on the first day, the remaining containers must be shifted by the following day.

In a circular issued on August 14, Md Al Amin, NBR's second secretary (Customs, Export Policy and Bonds), stated that handling charges will apply only once an entire consignment is transferred off-dock.

In exceptional cases, including capacity constraints at ICDs, the commissioner of Chittagong Custom House (CCH) may approve "dual delivery."

The directive follows repeated complaints from businesses and industrial enterprises about delays, bottlenecks, and limited capacity at private depots.

At present, 65 categories of imported goods are sent to ICDs to reduce congestion at Chattogram sea port.

During a meeting on July 25, the C&F Agents Association told NBR officials that while ICDs often seek approval to handle additional cargo, they lack the infrastructure to deliver goods on time.

They urged greater flexibility, including direct dual delivery from the port.

NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem later assured stakeholders that the handling capacity of ICDs would be reassessed in consultation with depot owners.

Currently, 19 private ICDs manage import, export, and empty container operations in Chattogram.

Reacting to the new directive, Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder said, "After unloading at Chattogram port, we usually get four days of free time to transfer containers. Completing the process in one or two days will be difficult unless there is no congestion at the port."

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