"Akbar's decison sees Ctg port lose Tk 14cr"

Any importer is aware of the storage charges and that is why importers in general always clear their goods within the free-time to avoid huge cumulative storage charges.

Port Authority has no "authority" to waive the storage charges. Again, there is no provision under the port Schedule of Charges to grant any exemption of the storage charges to any cargo, including any perishable item.

Moreover, any importer is required to clear any perishable item at the earliest to avoid any contamination of the goods, besides avoiding the huge cumulative storage charges.

Any importer is very much aware of the fact that his goods would be disposed in Auction by the Customs Authorities in the event the goods are not cleared from the Port within 30 days of landing at it . No importer can, therefore, afford to cause any congestion at the Port by delaying the clearance of the goods.

May I, therefore, urge the Parliamentary Committee to kindly look into the following covering all the cases of waivers (amounting to Tk 14.69cr):

1.Does the Port / Shipping Ministry have the "authority" to waive the storage charges on the container/cargo and did the Ministry act in accordance with that "authority" to grant those waivers (amounting to Tk.14.69cr)?

2. Was each case of waivers processed from the Chittagong Port Authority to the Shipping Ministry on the application filed by the authorised Clearing & Forwarding Agent of the Importer? It may be noted that no importer/exporter is allowed to process any document/paper directly for any transaction at the port and all businesses must be conducted through the authorised Clearing & Forwarding Agents only as required by both the Customs & Port Authority.

3. The Parliamentary Committee will find it much easier to analyse each and every case if it summons all the files of such waivers both from the Shipping Ministry & the Chittagong Port Authority & alsosummonsthe relevant Clearing & Forwarding Agents, Importers & the concerned officials of the Chittagong Port & the Ministry.

4. How long each & every container /cargo remained at the Port & enjoyed the waiver granted by the Minister? Did the Port Authority & the Customs Authority issue any Auction Notice on the Container/Cargo? Was any cargo put on auction?

5. How many Clearing & Forwarding Agents in total were involved in processing the waiver cases?

6. How many cases of such waivers were processed to the Ministry between July 2002 & May, 2005 & what was the total amount of waiver asked for & what was the total amount of waiver granted?

7. What sort of recommendation the Port Authority gave on each case of waiver, specifically by the Director of Traffic, Chittagong Port &Êthe Chairman?

8. Was there any case of waiver granted by the Ministry directly without the file being initiated & processed by the Port Authority?

I am really baffled by the waiver of such huge amount, thereby causing a substantial loss of the public revenue and I sincerely urge the Parliamentary Committee on the Shipping Ministry to look into the above meticulously and also to close the loopholes to safeguard revenue.