CPA extends storage rental waiver deadline

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) yesterday extended the deadline for full waiver on the storage rent for import load containers by 12 more days to May 16 after its two previous attempts failed to decongest the port.

This is the third time the port authority has offered such benefit to the importers in the last one month in an attempt to reduce the acute container congestion stemming from poor delivery amidst the countrywide shutdown.

"As the government holiday has been extended up to May 16, we have also extended the waiver period," CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Abul Kalam Azad told The Daily Star.

He, however, warned that the deadline would not be extended beyond May 16.

On April 4, the CPA for the first time announced the waiver. But seeing poor response from the importers, the CPA withdrew the waiver on April 20.

On April 28, it reintroduced the waiver for a week until May 4.

The import containers that arrived in the country since the nationwide general holiday began on March 26 would be eligible for the waiver on condition of taking the delivery during the extended period.

The waiver will also be applicable for the containers that entered the port four days before the holiday was announced to flatten the spread of the coronavirus.