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The Chittagong Port and Inland Container Depots (ICDs) have started destroying at least 10,000 tonnes of rotten imported food items.
Following an instruction from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to remove those rotten food items occupying the important space of the port, the customs authorities have taken the initiative.
At this stage, 9,050 tonnes of goods in 382 containers have been included on the list of demolition, said Musfiqur Rahman, Joint Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House and Chief of the committee formed for the destruction of biodegradable and rotting goods.
At least 100 more containers will also be included on the list of un-auctionable and unusable food products, he said.
In total, there may be more than 10,000 tonnes of rotten food products that will be destroyed to free the space of the port yard, he said.
Due to negligence of the importers, delay in redemption, non-submission of proper documents and many other reasons, these food products imported at different times have been piled in the port yard.
The containers have onion, garlic, ginger, fruits, meat, food grains, edible oil, fish food and beverages. They were imported six to seven years ago.
The rotten food and fruit items are usually imported by private sector importers who very often cannot afford to release the consignment because of high duty, said Junaidul Haq, a fruit importer of ‘Fol Mondi’, the largest wholesale fruit market in Chattogram.
He said sometimes importers import fruits with a high price but the rate in the local market becomes low as the taxes in fruit import is about 120-100 percent and that is the reason why those consignments are abandoned by their owners.
Auction is the best option
According to the rules, there is a provision for the release of goods within 30 days of unloading off the ship. If the goods are not released within this period, the port authorities hand them over to the customs authorities for auction.
The officials of customs concerned determine the price through inventory for the purpose of auctioning these goods.
Before the announcement of the auction, the importer of the goods can apply for releasing his goods with a fine. But after the announcement of the auction, this opportunity no longer exists.
Auction is the best option to bring the abandoned consignment to market, said Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, Joint Secretary of Custom Clearing and Forwarding Assertion of Bangladesh.
He said food products have to be released immediately and importers and customs authorities have to make quick decisions on these shipments, otherwise the quality of the product is not even eligible for auction.
A portion of the food products specially fruits and vegetables imported in frozen containers has to be cleared within maximum of 20-25 days.
A meeting was held at the port on July 28 under the leadership of the Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office to remove these goods accumulated inside the port.
According to the decision of this meeting, instructions were given to remove all unusable products.
