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Chattogram Port Backlog
As customs authorities blame the backlog on drawn-out auction procedures, over 200,000 tons of imported goods, packed in 9,644 containers, have been left at Chattogram port for years, taking up 18% of its capacity.
In addition to taking up a significant amount of room, the unclaimed products are costing customs officials money.
According to insiders, shipping agencies are also losing money since they are unable to get importers to pay for container rentals.
The period of arrival for these containers was 2013–2024. According to dealers and customs officers, importers frequently abandon shipments for a variety of reasons.
Port and Customs Delays
These include failing to provide the necessary paperwork to support the cargo, declining to pay fines for errors, and declining local market pricing.
Auction delays have resulted in the degradation of commodities and the wasting of foreign dollars, according to port and customs authorities.
Recently, the Chittagong Port Authority and Chattogram Customs amended the auction regulations in an effort to expedite the clearance procedure.
Out of 53,518 TEUs, over 10,000 remain unclaimed
The head of the Chittagong Port Authority, Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, stated: “Eighteen percent of the port yard is made up of unclaimed commodities packed in containers. As a result, there is not enough room for both routine tasks and emergency ship loading and unloading.
Of the 53,518 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers that the port can hold, more than 10,000 remain unclaimed.
The head of the port authority told The Daily Star, “Unclaimed containers at Chattogram port have racked up outstanding rent of around Tk 150 crore, with little hope of recovery.”
According to him, routine activities in key port regions are being hampered by these abandoned containers. If the auction process is not streamlined and accelerated, clearing this backlog will continue to be difficult.
According to port statistics, 357 of the 9,644 unclaimed containers include dangerous materials like chemicals, while 383 contain perishable items including apples, oranges, and ginger.
Non-perishable products including commodities, plastics, cosmetics, cars, electronics, leather goods, building supplies, tiles, and ceramics are found in the remaining boxes.
Assistant Commissioner Md. Sakib Hossain Plans
According to authorities, 453 imported cars that were brought in by 208 businesses and individuals have been stranded at the port since 1995.
According to auction statistics, customs has only sold Tk 380.83 crore worth of goods in 148 auctions in the last five years, despite products valued at around Tk 8,000 crore becoming stuck.
The assistant commissioner of Custom House in Chattogram, Md. Sakib Hossain, stated: “We are working to amend auction rules to speed up the bidding process by taking guidelines from the NBR [National Board of Revenue], finance, and shipping ministries.”
He went on to say that 50 customs officers have been tasked with accelerating auctions by issuing tender notices and inventorying commodities.
“We will take immediate measures to arrange auctions regularly to avoid such large consignments remaining stuck,” he stated.
Importers are required by customs legislation to accept delivery of the goods within 15 days of their arrival. If not, customs officials can start the auction process.
Non-perishable items are now prohibited from being sold at the first auction for less than 60% of their reserve value (import price + tax).
Buyers often wait for third auction for reduced rates
According to customs authorities, buyers frequently wait for the third auction to receive reduced rates, even if prices are anticipated to increase in following auctions.
An auction typically takes nine months to a year to complete, with three to seven bidding rounds.
According to customs sources, online and spot auctions are being launched to draw in more bids, and the 60 percent reserve value limit may be loosened.
Furthermore, through a formal application procedure, the highest bidder—whether from the public or private sector—may be permitted to acquire products.
