102 cars up for auction at Mongla port

Mongla Custom House is set to auction off some 102 cars of various models which were not discharged from the port within the stipulated time after import.

Interested buyers can participate in the auction, to be held on 4 October, by bidding online or through sealed tender.

Abu Basher Siddiqui, revenue officer (auction wing) of the Mongla Custom House, said, "Catalogues with prices have been published on the Monga Custom House website."

Anyone can participate in the auction by registering on the e-auction website from 2 October till 4 October 7pm, he informed.

He further said, "In case of sealed tenders, non-negotiable tender forms of Tk200 can be purchased till 2 October which must be submitted in the boxes kept at Mongla, Khulna, Dhaka and Chattogram Customs on 4 October from 9:30am to 1pm. In both cases, tenders must be submitted with 10% security."

Tenders will be opened at Mongla Customs on 11 October at 10am.

Abu Basher said the auction was arranged as concerned people did not discard the cars within 30 days after import, as per rules.

Deputy Secretary, Department of Board and Public Relations of Mongla Port Md Makruzzaman said, "A total of 34,783 cars were imported through the sea ports of the country in the last financial year (2021-22). Among them, 20,808 cars were imported through Mongla port – which is 60% of the total imported cars in the country."

Some 1,500 have been imported through Mongla port in the current financial year, he added.

Mohammad Neazur Rahman, commissioner of Mongla Custom House, said, "Around 52% of the total revenue of Mongla Custom comes from the duty of imported cars. If these are left lying at the port, it creates a problem for the storage of other goods."

"If the auction process continues, it will facilitate traders to keep various products at the port. Moreover, timely revenue collection will be ensured," the commissioner further said.