Corruption, irregularities have come down

The team talked directly to all the parties concerned with a view to working out ways and means to fight out the reported problems and corruptions in handling export and import cargoes at Chittagong port.

Following meeting with the stakeholders including representatives of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shipping agents, Clearing and Forwarding agents, the team talked to the officials of Chittagong customs and Chittagong port in separate meetings.

The corruption and irregularities at Chittagong port came down remarkably after the ACC took some steps at the port and customs house, ACC Chairman Sultan Hossain Khan told a press briefing in the afternoon.

"We want to root out the corruptions and irregularities," he said, adding that improvement of internal systems to overcome the existing loopholes and action measures against the corruptions and irregularities are needed for it.

The ACC will monitor the activities at Chittagong port through a vigilance team while intelligence members will keep a close watch round the clock to check the corruption and irregularities, the ACC chairman said.

ACC intends to improve the system in coordination with all the parties concerned to check corruption automatically and take instant action against any corruption, ACC Commissioner Moniruddin Ahmed, who is also a member of the team, told the briefing.

The stakeholders and the customs and port officials stressed introduction of automation system at Chittagong port to check corruption and irregularities for which the parties blamed each other, meeting sources said.

Disregarding the Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) reports, customs officials harassed the users concerned in different ways, the stakeholders said in the meeting with ACC team.

They had to bribe even for berthing of a vessel at Chittagong port, they added.

They demanded for either proper implementation or withdrawal of PSI system.

The stakeholders, however, admitted that businessmen or port users too are not always honest.

At the meeting, Chittagong chamber leaders protested the move to relocate the Licence Measuring Department outside the port.

At the meetings with officials of Chittagong customs and port, the ACC team members advised them to sit with the port users to solve the problems.