Home ›› 05 May 2023 ›› Front
Due to the shortages of manpower and logistics facilities, Custom House Dhaka is finding it difficult to curb smuggling, protect revenue, and ensure smooth passenger services in Mitali Express and Maitree Express at the Dhaka cantonment railway station.
Custom House Dhaka Commissioner AKM Nurul Huda Azad in a recent letter urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to have these duties carried out by the Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (North).
He said this move would prevent smuggling and money laundering as well as ensure comprehensive passenger services and revenue protection.
“Trade facilitation and other official activities are being hampered as a number of officials are discharging additional duties at the cantonment station,” the letter said.
“These officials are mainly working at Dhaka airport, dealing with international passenger services, customs clearance, anti-smuggling and money laundering operations.
Besides, they are assessing and examining cargo and courier units to facilitate trade, continue exports in a short time, and curb smuggling,” it said.
The letter also said about 800-900 domestic and foreign passengers currently arrive in and depart from Dhaka via Maitri Express and Mitali Express. The international express trains connect Indian states with the capital of Bangladesh.
At present, each land customs station in operation is under the direct supervision of the respective customs, excise and VAT commissionerates as per the existing order of the NBR, the letter said.
“However, in another order in 2007, the NBR assigned the Custom House Dhaka to complete customs-related formalities for passenger train movement between Bangladesh and India. The customs house is performing duties accordingly at the station till now,” it said.
The customs house prepared a table of organisation and equipment (TO&E) with the required number of officials and employees to carry out customs formalities and sent it to the NBR for approval but that has not been approved yet, it also said.
Mentioning the cantonment railway station is not included in the existing as well as the proposed organisational structure of the customs house, the letter said appointing the required manpower there will be difficult now and in the future. The NBR was urged to take necessary measures in this regard right away.
Bangladesh in 2008 declared the Dhaka-Darshana-Kolkata route as the approved passenger rail route and also the land customs station for the movement of passengers.
