Ctg customs to dispose of 4,000 tonnes of imported goods

Chattogram Customs House is going to dispose of nearly 4,000 tonnes of perishable and nonsalable goods stuffed in 188 containers as the importers left those abandoned for years.

The week-long disposal campaign will begin on 27 or 28 March. The authorities will dump the items adjacent to the Bay Terminal project area of Chattogram's ​​South Halishahar area.

The perishable goods include onions, fish feed, canola, apples, orange, mandarin, fishes, seeds and liquid drinks.

Ali Reza Haider, deputy commissioner (auction branch) of Chattogram Customs House, told The Business Standard that they had appointed a private firm KD Shipping for the disposal, and the authorities planned to conclude the dumping before Ramadan in the first week of April.

The customs official said respective shipping agents who brought in the products would pay KD Shipping for the dumping.   

KD Shipping Manager Mohammad Alamgir Hossain said they are ready for the campaign, and now waiting for the go-ahead from the customs.

According to customs sources, the customs authorities destroyed around 6,000 tonnes of goods stuffed in 298 containers in March 2021. The items were imported years ago and left abandoned.

The imported goods are to be released within 30 days of unloading. If any importer does not take the goods within this time, they are notified by the customs. If the product is not received within 15 days of the notification, the customs authorities may put it up for auction.

But, if the goods are import-banned, the customs authorities neither release the goods nor put it up for bidding.

Besides, Chattogram customs dumps hazardous imported chemicals at LafargeHolcim factory in Sunamganj.

This year's disposal list includes cattle and fish feeds with import banned meat and bone meal. Therefore, the authority did not release those goods.