BM Depot fire: Bicda demands intact delivery of import, export items

The Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (Bicda) has demanded the process of delivering imported goods and export items, which have survived the fire incident at the BM container depot in Sitakunda, be completed.

Nurul Kaium Khan, president of the depot owners' association, issued two separate letters, one to Rear Admiral M Shahjahan, chairman of Chattogram Port Authority, and the other to Mohammad Fakhrul Alam, commissioner of Chattogram Custom House, in this regard on Monday.

In the letters, Bicda requested the authorities to resume work at the container depot and to take immediate steps with regard to intact export and import cargo containers, and empty containers.

It is mentioned in the letter that according to information on BM Depot Containers Limited, after the catastrophic fire on 4 June, a significant number of export and import containers remain intact at the depot. 

In the greater interest of the country's export trade and foreign exchange inflows, it is important to expedite the export process of intact export goods under the supervision of customs, reads the letter.

It is also important to take intact, imported consumer goods and industrial raw materials to market and industrial establishments, providing delivery to importers concerned, the letter says. 

The letter further mentions that intact, empty containers of various shipping lines also need to be brought back to supply management related to the import and export trade of the country as per instructions of shipping lines.

When the commissioner of the custom house was contacted over the phone about the letter, he did not respond.

However, Md Omar Farooq, secretary to Chattogram Port Authority, said investigations regarding the fire incident at the BM Container Depot were still ongoing. 

The next course of action would be determined after the investigations end, he said.