Work abstention at Ctg customs causes Tk200 crore loss
Clearing and forwarding agents postponed their agitation programme after a meeting with the Chittagong Customs House commissioner in the evening
The nine-hour work abstention – observed by the clearing and forwarding agents on Tuesday – caused a loss of nearly Tk200 crore, said Chittagong Custom House sources.
The C&F agents refrained from their regular work from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the customs, protesting a move of the Customs House, Chittagong.
The Customs has recently written to the National Board of Revenue asking for punishment to the agents in case of imcustomss without declaration. The move flared up protests among the clearing and forwarding agents.
Additional Commissioner of the Chittagong Customs House Zia Uddin said they could not realise nearly Tk150 crore in revenue owing to the demonstration.
"The Shipping Agent Association, imcustomsers and excustomsers had to bear the brunt," he said.
Joynul Abedin Rana, the C&F agents' leader, said they postponed their agitation programme after a meeting with the customs commissioner in the evening.
The customs said it will withdraw their letter sent to the revenue board.
Meantime, Shafiqul Islam, vice-president of the Shipping Agents Association, said, "If the revenue collection remains suspended, the average stay of ships at the customs rises. Moreover, the extra charge due to the unloaded goods mounts up. These two can raise prices of those products."
Meantime, Sarwar Alam Kahn, an imcustomser, said such demonstration disrupts excustoms of readymade garments.
