All imported cargo containers are being sent to OFD

News Desk: It has been decided to keep all imported containers in private container depots to ease the container clutter created in Chittagong port. Generally, 36 types of imported containers of goods are kept in private container depots (offdocks). The importers unload the goods from the offdock after taking all the cargo containers off the ship.

But due to Eid-ul-Azha and severe lockdown, the unloading of containers from the port has reached a minimum and piles of containers have fallen on the jetties of the port. Instead of the usual 5,000 containers being unloaded every day, now 500 containers are being unloaded every day.

In particular, due to the closure of all other establishments including garments and other industries, the importers are not redeeming all other products including raw materials. In this way, even though the goods were imported according to the previous LC, it has been trying to exceed the storage capacity every day. According to the concerned officials of the port, it is possible to keep a maximum of 48,000 to 50,000 containers in different jetties of the port. It is likely to be completed in the next 2/3 days.

In response to the request of the Chittagong Port Authority, the National Board of Revenue has decided to keep all the containers carrying imported goods at 16 private container depots at the local level from Sunday. All imported cargo containers can be sent to offdocks till August 31. A letter signed by Mohammad Meraj-ul-Alam Samrat, second secretary of the National Board of Revenue, said on Sunday that 100 per cent containers would have to be scanned during transfers to offdocks. The decision will be taken on the basis of the report through physical examination of the shipped container and the presence of the representatives of the concerned agencies.