The process to float tender to appoint a new operators for General Cargo Berth (GCB) of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) is being delayed due to two cases filed before the higher court.
As a result, Everest Enterprise which was appointed for empty container handling in July, 2013, for four years is continuing operation at the GCB till now despite ending of their four-year term in 2017 to carry out the job.
CPA claims that despite expiry of the validity of Everest Enterprise's contract over three years ago, handling of empty container at the port his not disrupted. But sources said, the CPA is losing a large amount of money every year due to high rate of handling charges by Everest Enterprise.
According to them, Saif Power Tec Limited operated the GCB and handled empty containers from June 2008 to June 2013 at a rate of Tk 430 per box (20 feet) and Tk 499 per box (40 feet).
Everest Enterprise won the tender in July, 2013, to handle empty containers at at the GCB till 2017. But despite ending of its four years term to carry out empty container handling and the expiry of validity of that contract it signed with the port authority, it is still continuing the work at a rate much higher than the previous operators which is causing monetary loss to the CPA.
Presently, Everest Enterprise is handling the empty containers at GCB at a rate of Tk 850 per box (20 feet) and Tk 795 per box (40 feet). As a result, the CPA lost Tk 5.0 million (Tk 50 lakh) per month in the last about three-and-a-half-year as its empty container handling rate is the highest among other contenders, including Saif Power Tec.
The CPA declared schedule for tender to handle the empty containers at GCB last year. But, due to a case and another case filed by M/S M H Chowdhury and Everest Enterprise against each other, the tender procedure has remained stopped for the last one year. As the Supreme Court is yet to give final judgments over the cases, the CPA can not call a tender now to appoint a new operator for empty container handling at the GCB.
Contacted, Deputy Traffic Manager (Admn) of CPA Hasina Arju said the port authority declared schedule for tender to handle the empty containers at the GCB in 2018. But the next procedure of the tender was stopped following filing of cases by M/S M H Chowdhury and Everest Enterprise, she said.
However, the operators appointed in 2013, are carrying out the empty container handling at present at the GCB, she mentioned.
"CPA is continuing the operation by the present operators to avoid any disruption of empty container handling at the GCB," she added.
When contacted, officials of Saif Power Tec said: "We handled the empty containers at GCB from June 2008 to June 2013 at the rate of Tk 430 per box (20 feet) and Tk 499 per box (40 feet). Later, we could not participate in the tender (to get the job)."
Officials of Everest Enterprise said they challenged the writ petition submitted by M/S M H Chowdhury Limited and won the case. Later, M/S M H Chowdhury Limited filed appeal before the Supreme Court, they said.
"We are waiting for Supreme Court's verdict over the appeal now," they added.
