The government has finally decided to introduce the electronic seal and lock services for containers transported between the Chittagong Port and off-dock areas in a bid to ensure cargo security and avert revenue loss, theft, smuggling, dumping etc under international maritime laws.
Amid opposition from the businesses, importers and readymade garment exporters, the cargo security system Electronic Seal and Lock Service (ESLS) will be launched in the prime maritime seaport in Chittagong on Monday (December 11).
Concerned sources said that Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith would formally launch the new electric device at the Chittagong Port on that day.
But the move has been opposed by the garment manufacturers and exporters association BGMEA and the Port Users Forum of Chittagong. They said the port authority will charge an extra amount of Tk 600 per container/covered van/truck which is not justified.
In a letter to the NBR chairman on November 26, last BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman said different kinds of seals and lock systems are used in export containers, covered vans and trucks carrying RMG export cargoes as per requirements of the foreign buyers. "So, the electronic seal and lock system is fully unjustified."
He further said there was no incident of pilferage of cargo anywhere between the Chittagong Port and the inland container depots (ICDs) in Chittagong. There was no incident of evasion of duty and taxes on the transportation of container either. The new system will simply delay the cargo handling and raise cost of business, he said.
The Port Users' Forum (PUF) headed by president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahbubul Alam held a meeting of the port users on December 4 at the CCCI office at the World Trade Centre in the port city.
The port users, exporters, importers and trade body leaders observed that the NBR tried to introduce the electronic seal and lock system in the past but it was dropped following protest by the businesses. It is a bad decision of the NBR because it will delay cargo handling in the port.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued an SRO (statutory regulatory order) in January for use of the ESLS in all the import and export containers, covered vans and trucks bound for the off-dock areas from the port to check pilferage of cargoes including the readymade garments RMG).
Accordingly, a gazette notification to this effect was published and Chittagong Port Authority signed an agreement with M/s Alif Corporation which will render the ESLS services, the sources said.
Once the cargo security protection is introduced under the ESLS, all containers, covered vans and trucks carrying cargoes from the Chittagong port to the 16 ICDs in Chittagong will use the new electronic sealing and locking device and be changed Tk 600 per unit of the boxes or vehicles.
A senior NBR official said it held an opinion exchange meeting with all concerned at the Chittagong Customs House on April 04, 2017 for smooth implementation of the ESLS system.
He said that the NBR has taken the decision of introducing ESLS as per authorised economic operator (AEO) of the World Customs Organisation (WCO). Cargo security is a very important issue of the day throughout the maritime world. Direct cargo transportation by air from Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport to the US, Australia, England and European countries needs to undergo cargo security clearance by a third country.
The Chittagong Port Authority is also following the rules and provisions of the International Ship Port Security (ISPS) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) programmes to avert sabotage, extremism and destructive activities in the ports and seagoing vessels.
pankajdastider@gmail.com