NBR okays release of 12 more imported goods from Ctg inland container depots 

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has expanded the list of imported items eligible for delivery from private inland container depots (ICDs), commonly known as off-docks, in Chattogram. 

With the addition of 12 more items, a total of 50 types of imported goods can now be released from these off-dock facilities.

Previously, 38 types of imported goods—including essential food items such as rice, wheat, mustard seed, chickpeas, and pulses were permitted for off-dock delivery. 

Following a letter signed on 8 April by Second Secretary (Customs, Exports and Bonds) of the NBR Md Al Amin, the new list now includes all kinds of staple fibre, calcium carbonate, wheat bran, quick lime, polystyrene, fluting paper, calcium phosphate, asbestos, methionine, glycerol, unwrought aluminium, and cinnamon.

These goods can now be cleared from 19 private ICDs in Chattogram, which collectively handle nearly 95% of the country's export cargo and play a critical role in easing congestion at the Chattogram Port. 

Industry insiders have long advocated for off-dock clearance of more goods to reduce pressure on the port and improve logistics efficiency. 

Several meetings were held at Chattogram Customs regarding the issue, and the port authorities also appealed to the NBR to expand the range of import items eligible for off-dock clearance.

Welcoming the move Secretary General of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) Ruhul Amin Sikder said, "We have the capacity to handle more imported goods, and we've already demonstrated this during the pandemic. 

"In 2020-2021, when the Chattogram Port was overwhelmed, all types of imported goods were successfully managed through off-docks without a single complaint. This shows our readiness, which needs to be fully utilised."

He also highlighted that unlike Bangladesh, no other country still delivers imported goods directly by opening containers at the port. This outdated practice causes thousands of trucks and covered vans to enter the port daily, worsening Chattogram's traffic congestion and straining port operations. 

Stakeholders, including the port authority, have long been urging a shift toward off-dock clearance for all imported cargo, he added.