C&F agents go on 2-day strike today

The Federation of Bangladesh Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association will observe a two-day strike at all customs houses and customs stations on January 30 and 31, for non-acceptance of various demands including amendment of custom agent licensing rules.

Md Sultan Hossain Khan, the association’s secretary general, announced the strike in a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday. The federation’s President Shamsur Rahman was among others present on the occasion.

This association has claimed that there are elements in the Customs Agents Licensing Rules 2016 and 2020, which go against the fundamental rights of customs clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents.

Despite repeated requests to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), no amendment has been brought so far. The association recently placed its demand in a letter sent to the NBR, it was revealed in the press conference. Chattogram Customs Agents Association also sent a letter to the revenue board, voicing the same demand, and called a strike on January 30 and 31 if the board does not amend relevant licensing rules by January 28.

The C&F agents’ federation said at the press conference that it has repeatedly urged the NBR to amend several necessary rules after the board framed the C&F Agents Licensing Rules-2016. But their demands were not taken into consideration.

Even during the formulation of the Customs Agent Licensing Rules-2020, the NBR did not discuss the issue of amendment with the association’s leaders.

The association claims that it proposed amending some rules and sub-rules of the licensing rules during the national budget 2022-2023, as those rules violate the basic rights of all C&F agents in the country.

However, even after the association’s proposal, the authorities concerned did not make any amendments.

The association proposed withdrawing non-renewal of licensing rules from the regulations.

Referring to Rule 13(c) of Licensing Rules 2016 and Rules 19(c) and (d) of Licensing Rules-2020, the association states that the verification of educational qualification under the rules shall be relaxed in case of transfer of licence to a legitimate successor.