Private ICD policy under scrutiny over safety issues  

The Private Inland Container Depot (ICD) Policy is being assessed following the devastating fire from dangerous goods at a container yard in Chattogram this month.

An eight-member committee comprising representatives of the customs authorities, Chattogram port, ICD owners, explosives department, shipping agents and trade bodies was recently formed to evaluate the existing policy and note down recommendations arising out of the evaluation.

In order to facilitate ICD operations and expand Bangladesh's foreign trade, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) formulated the existing policy in 2021 after discussions with stakeholders.

"Since the policy has been enacted recently, which sections will be amended depends on the report of the committee," Md Moshiur Rahman Mondol, Second Secretary (customs export and bond) of NBR, told The Business Standard.

According to NBR documents, the committee will make separate recommendations on ICDs and Container Freight Stations (CFS). It will review required equipment in ICDs, infrastructural facilities and management of flammable materials, arrangements of required yards and sheds, safety and security arrangements.

The committee will submit the report within 30 days. Moshiur Rahman Mondol said the committee has been formed to bring the ICD policy up-to-date against the backdrop of the recent depot fire.

However, Nurul Qayyum Khan, president of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), told TBS that he was not aware of the possible changes to the ICD policy.

In Chattogram, there are 19 private Inland Container Depots (ICD), also known as off-docks, which handle almost 95% of export goods for shipment and 38 types of import goods. The ICDs allow unloading or delivery of cargo from outside the port area.

The NBR issues an ICD licence to a private company after an eight-step process that includes inspection in several stages as well as permissions from the port authority and the shipping ministry.