C&F agents will go on strike on June 28, 29 

C&F agents will observe a full-day strike on 28 and 29 June at all customs stations in the country, including Chittagong Custom House, initiated by the Federation of Bangladesh Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association to realize various demands, including amendment of Licensing Rules-2020 by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Earlier on 7 June, C&F agents went on a day-long strike at all customs stations across the country with the same demands. Some 250 C&F agents in Chattogram went on strike from 9am to 4pm on 18 May too, as their licenses were not renewed.

Association sources said the strike was declared at a meeting of the federation on 25 June. The agents' association has also sent letters to C&F agents deployed at all customs stations in the country to carry out the programme.

According to the letter, a letter was sent to the NBR on 13 June demanding amendment of some sections of the licensing and other rules, but no effective action has been taken.

The two-day strike at the end of the current financial year will hurt revenue collection at the country's largest customs station, Chittagong Custom House, said experts concerned. 

The average daily revenue collection at this customs station is around Tk164 crore. Till 25 June, Chittagong House collected Tk57,787 crore in fiscal year 2021-22.

Chittagong Custom C&F Agents Association General Secretary, Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, told TBS, "We have conducted movements more than once to change the customs licensing rules and our proposal has also been sent to the NBR. Unfortunately, the NBR does not even bother to know what our demands are."

There are 10,000 C&F agents in 42 small and large customs stations across the country. Of these, 3,000 C&F agents work at Chittagong Custom House. Every day 7,000 bills of entry and bills of export are submitted here. Of these, 2,000 are for bills of entry and 5,000 are for bills of export.