Garment manufacturers no longer want to accept import consignments from private inland container depots (ICDs), claiming that it takes too long and costs too much.
In a recent letter to the Chattogram customs commissioner, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) asked for the full restoration of direct port deliveries, citing a preference for direct port deliveries.
However, the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (Bicda) rejected the claims in a letter to the commissioner.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) directed to shift all import-laden containers from the port to the 19 private ICDs. The aim was to unpack the goods from the containers and provide deliveries from there for a temporary period till August 31. Usually, containers carrying only 37 types of imported goods are taken to the ICD’s from the Port for delivery. The ICDs imposed a package delivery charge for shifting containers from the port to the ICD, for lifting it on and off from vehicles for placement and for the use of labour. The extra movement charge worth $42.60 or around Tk 3,600 for a 20-foot container is not a regular charge, he said.
