Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
A huge number of imported cars are now stranded in the Chittagong and the Mongla ports due to non-stop blockade and hartal enforced by BNP-led 20 party alliance.
Importers have invested Tk 3,500 crore for importing these cars, insiders said.
“A total number of 6,443 reconditioned vehicles were stuck up in the yards of Chittagong and Mongla sea ports due to hartal and blockade,” Habibullah Dawn, the outgoing president of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) told The New Nation yesterday.
The ongoing countrywide blockade entered 41st day on Monday and it was the second day of the fresh spell of 72-hour hartal called by the opposition alliance.
“The importers could not take delivery of a single unit of their imported car from the ports during the period fearing vandalism and arson attack,” said Habibullah Dawn. He further said that the importers have to count Tk 11.34 crore demurrage for overstaying of the cars in the port yards (per day Tk 27 lakh).
“Such a situation has also put a negative impact on our sales. Our daily sales turnover is Tk30 crore which also now goes nil due to inability to release cars from the ports,” he added.
The BARVIDA leader also pointed out that government could realize Tk 1200 crore duty from the imported vehicles if the cars are released from the ports.
According to rules, the importers are allowed a 30 days period to stockpile their imported vehicles in sheds of the ports. If it exceeds, the authorities can put all the vehicles on auction.
“We have requested the port authorities not to put our vehicles on auction considering the present political situation of the country. We can take delivery of our vehicles if the government ensures security while carrying them from the port. Otherwise, we cannot take the risk,” he added.
Besides, we urged the customs authorities not to impose demurrage or penalty for keeping our vehicles in the port longer than the allowed time.
He also hinted that the importers could become bankrupt if their imported cars remain unreleased for a long time. “A large amount of our investment is stuck with the cars. This investment mostly comes through bank finance with high interest rate ranging between 14 and 15 percent”.
Habibullah Dawn also urged the central bank to bring down the bank interest rate to single digit so that the importers can make up their losses incurred due to the political turmoil.
Port officials however said that the sudden stockpile of the imported reconditioned vehicles at the port yards is affecting normal activities of the ports.
“Overstaying of the vehicles in the port yards has become a big problem for us. The port yards have limited space to accommodate other import items. We need to immediate release of the cars to keep the ports functional,” said a senior official at the Chittagong Customs House.
