Exporters and importers have to pay Tk 67.7 lakh in bribe to officials and employees at the Chittagong Port and Customs House a day to complete customs-related formalities despite having valid documents in support of their items, according to a study report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).
They are forced to pay at 19 different stages for loading and unloading of every item both in the port and the customs house. Two cycles of brokers, locally called ‘Faltu’ and ‘Badi Alam’ are blamed for creating circumstances for taking bribe money defying the customs rules and regulations with the help of some dishonest officials of the port and customs house.
The study report titled “Chittagong Port and Automation of Export-Import in Customs House: Challenges to Good Governance and the way to Ascension” was unveiled at BRAC Centre Inn in the capital on Monday.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that at least 60 to 70 men of ‘Faltu’ and ‘Badi Alam’ cycles have been appointed illegally in the name of assistances of the officials of customs house. They are transacting money illegally in different stages of customs breaching its rules.
The brokers, known as ‘faltu’ and ‘Badi Alam’, should be ousted immediately, said the TIB executive director.
Dr Iftekhar urged the government to bring the institutions involved with duty collection under online systems to stop irregularities and corruptions.
The study on automation in trading process at Chittagong Port and Customs House was conducted based on information provided by 100 officials, staff, exporters and importers of the port.
TIB trustee board member M Hafizuddin Khan, Deputy Executive Sumiya Khair, researchers Manjur-e-Khoda, Juliet Rossette were also present, among the others, on the occasion.
