CHATTOGRAM May 20: Over 10,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of Containers remained stockpiled in the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) auction shed for a long time.
CPA Secretary Muhammad Omar Faruk said that those containers had been remaining in the CPA shed for auction since 2013 last. Of them include a lot of destroyable containers, he said.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued a special order to expedite the auction, disposal, and destruction of unclear goods to ease container congestion at Chattogram Port. The order, titled "Special Order on Expedited Auction, Disposal, and Destruction Procedures at Chattogram Port 2025" was issued on Wednesday.
The move is expected to save time, labour, and costs; prevent the misuse of state resources; mitigate security risks; protect infrastructure and public safety; and enhance the overall efficiency of the port. According to NBR sources, the backlog of unclear containers from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2023 has disrupted normal operations at the port.
Many of these containers hold outdated chemicals and hazardous materials, posing significant safety risks, including the threat of explosions. It mentioned that the standard auction process is too slow to mitigate risks, with delays caused by legal issues, restricted goods, unresponsive bidders, and logistical challenges.
The order allows most goods to be sold at the highest bid in the first auction without a reserve price, while restricted or deteriorated items can be handed over free to specialised agencies for safe disposal. If auctions fail to attract buyers, goods may be sold after wide public notification without further auctions. Additionally, expired hazardous goods can be sold to qualified users or agencies with proper certification.
Meanwhile, Md Shakib Hossain, assistant commissioner of the Chattogram Customs House told the Daily Observer that the auction of those containers would be held very soon. "Those containers include over 200 TEUs of perishable goods which would be destroyed," he said.
He also informed that the re-auction of 50 vehicles, including 30 luxurious Land Cruiser ZX cars imported by former members of parliament (MPs) of the past Awami League government under duty-free privileges would be held soon.
