Chittagong Bureau :
Chittagong Customs House is the major revenue earning government body of the country but due to political instability including hartal, siege by the oppositions in last year , it is facing huge revenue deficit in this current fiscal.
A reliable sources said, the revenue deficit in first six-month of the current fiscal, the deficit was Tk.1500 cr but in next two months in this year it increases with some extents. CCH authority has recently taken seven steps to minimize the deficit from this year as directed by the higher authority of the govt.
A customs official seeking anonymity told this correspondent that remarkable L/Cs were not opened last year due to political instability in the country for which some negative affects witnessing. Sources said the revenue target of last 8 months (July-February ) of the current fiscal was Tk.16500 cr but realised revenue Tk.14500 cr.
The steps for enhancing revenue so taken includes quick arrangement of import duty realization after submit of Bill of Entry by the importers, to undertake arrangement of quick mitigation of customs case pending in higher court, to request the Attorney General to arranged in brining the pending cases in cause list, and encashing the bank guarantees of the importers and exporters etc. Besides, after arrival of consignment from abroad, these consignments should be delivered to the concerned importers within 30 days otherwise to sold those undelivered consignment through auction process, sources. Sources further said customs authority decided to hold auction in every month.
