Ctg Custom House earns Tk63,000cr in 10 months, sees 13.14% growth

Chattogram Custom House, the country's largest customs station, collected Tk62,818.92 crore in revenue during the first ten months (July–April) of the current fiscal year, reflecting a 13.14% increase compared to the same period last year.

In April alone, the custom house saw robust growth of 23.67%, collecting Tk7,382.65 crore – up from Tk5,969.49 crore in April of the previous fiscal year.

Officials from the customs and trade sectors view the growth as a strong sign of economic stabilisation and recovery.

They expect total revenue collection to surpass Tk75,000 crore by the end of the fiscal year if the current trend continues.

"Even amid economic hardship, the positive growth in our revenue collection is undoubtedly good news for the national economy," Deputy Commissioner and spokesperson of Chattogram Custom House, Saidul Islam, told TBS.

He added, "Revenue has increased due to strict surveillance, efforts to curb smuggling, fraud prevention, and measures to stop customs evasion."

He highlighted that modernisation, automation, and digital transformation in customs operations—particularly in the goods clearance process – have played a pivotal role.

"We are also taking legal action against entities found involved in irregularities or money laundering," he added.

However, despite the strong growth, the custom house fell short of its ten-month target. Against a target of Tk70,631 crore for July to April, actual revenue stood Tk7,812.9 crore lower – an 11.06% shortfall.

The now-dissolved National Board of Revenue (NBR) had set a revised annual target of Tk80,402 crore for the Chattogram Custom House in the current fiscal year, marking a nearly 17% increase from the previous year's total collection of Tk68,866.58 crore.

Path to recovery

Chattogram Customs officials cited several external factors that disrupted operations in the early part of the fiscal year. In July and August last year, anti-discrimination protests and the mass uprising led to road closures, and an internet shutdown caused severe delays in port logistics and customs activities. 

Later, flood-related disruptions on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway further affected operations.

According to the officials, after the formation of the interim government and resolution of these crises, the country's import-export supply chain began to normalise. Customs authorities intensified monitoring efforts to prevent revenue evasion and fraud under the guise of legitimate imports, contributing significantly to the positive revenue trend.

The Audit Investigation and Research (AIR) Unit at Chattogram Custom House plays a key role in identifying fraud in import-export activities. The unit inspects suspicious shipments, conducts physical examinations, and imposes fines when irregularities or revenue evasion are detected.

Deputy Commissioner of the AIR branch, Kazi Rayhanuzzaman, told TBS that they have intensified intelligence surveillance to curb customs evasion, and this effort is ongoing. "Legal actions are being taken against institutions where evidence of irregularities and money laundering has been uncovered."

S M Saiful Alam, president of the Chattogram Custom Agents Association, said, "Since the interim government assumed office, institutions promoting good governance have become more active. This has had a positive impact on the performance of the customs house. Increased revenue collection here will directly support the country's economic progress."