The Chittagong Customs House (CCH) is yet to be fully automated after introduction of UNCTAD's ASYCUDA system at the country's top tax collecting house eight years ago.
Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA), an integrated customs management system for international trade and transport operations was introduced at the CCH in 2013 with the view to modernising customs operations and helping to improve revenue collection in a modern automated environment.
But activities at the country's largest tax collecting house have not gone paperless as yet. Rather, paper files or hard copies, not soft copies, rule the roost here.
As the total system has not been automated, ample time is being wasted every year as almost all activities are done manually by tax men. Losses in terms of economy are also huge due to slow revenue collection and clearing processes with most of the day to day work remaining incomplete, resulting in piling up of a backlog of unfinished work.
Despite pledges often made by officials, including National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials, to digitalise all activities of the CCH, including revenue collection and management system, advanced software applications which are designed and developed for customs administrations and the trade community to comply with international standards when fulfilling import, export and transit related procedures, are yet to be used here.
However, the authority introduced E-Auction at the CCH last year.
On October 27, 2020, a training on E-Auction at CCH was organised and the chief guest at the inaugural function was NBR Member Mashud Sadik. Talking with reporters on that day he said, "We have started E-Auction at the CCH for the first time. Earlier, we introduced E-Auction at Benapole Customs House. After starting the E-Auction at CCH, the code of CCH which is 301 will be shown automatically."
He also said, "Introduction of E-Auction and E-Payment will help stop the forgery. Earlier, we observed that huge goods had been released from Chittagong Sea Port through fake documents or forging papers. So, the government has introduced the E-Tender process to stop all corruption regarding the delivery of goods. Presently, we have taken steps to digitalise the customs."
However, Joint Secretary of Clearing and Forwarding (C & F) Agents' Association Golam Rabbani said, the ASYCUDA system is not working (at the CCH) properly.
"Automation is a paperless system. But, CCH is continuing its operation through the old system till today. C & F agents have to move from one table to another with files. Here, the ASYCUDA is not running properly," he mentioned.
Director of Bangladesh Freight Forwarders' Association (BFA) Khairul Alam Sujan said, "The authority is talking about full automation for a long time. But, the full automation of CCH is yet to be implemented. Still, we are working through old methods. Implementing full automation will surely benefit users as well as the government."
President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Mahbubul Alam said, "It is unfortunate that the CCH is yet to be automated. Earlier, we discussed automation many times. The authority assured us that CCH will be fully automated soon. But, the CCH is still using the old system. If it is fully automated, the businessmen will be happy and also benefited."
But talking with journalists recently, some CCH officials reiterated that the NBR upgraded the CCH's online activities and also introduced the ASYCUDA system last year.
CCH Commissioner Fakhrul Alam said, "Many activities of CCH have already come under automation. ASYCUDA was introduced earlier, and now, we have started E-Auction. E-Payment will be started from next month (July) of the current year. NBR is trying to make CCH fully automated. We hope that as soon as possible, the CCH will be fully automated and the most modern one."
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