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A survey report has suggested adding modern equipment and
increasing the use of latest technology to reduce the time of clearance of
imported goods from the main ports of the country. This was suggested in a
study titled 'Time Release Study 2022' conducted by the National Board of
Revenue (NBR). The results of this survey were released on Monday (September 5,
2022) at a function organized at a hotel in the capital.
NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Munim presided over the
meeting and the video record of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal's speech was
played. Md. Mostafa Kamal, Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, and Suzanne Mueller,
Switzerland's charge the affairs posted in Bangladesh, were special guests on
the occasion.
The survey was conducted by the NBR under the guidance of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and with the financial and technical support of the Government of Switzerland, it was informed at the event. In this survey, a report has been prepared by conducting a survey on how much time it takes to get port-centric customs services for clearance of various imported goods. It has been seen that most time is spent in the seaport of the country to clear the imported goods. Average time for product redemption is 11 days 6 hours 23 minutes. It takes 10 days 8 hours 11 minutes to clear the goods at the land port and 7 days 11 hours 19 minutes to the airport. Port authorities spend about 12 to 20 percent of their time clearing imported goods. On the other hand, Chittagong Custom House (CCH), Benapole Custom House (BCH) and Dhaka Custom House (DCH) spend only seven-eight percent of the time in the overall release process of a product. The clearance process of the equipment takes more than 12 days for all the three custom houses.
The report recommends reducing customs service steps to
reduce clearance time at Chittagong port. Especially if all documents are filed
online and operations are conducted online, more benefits will be available.
The study recommends introduction of automated system and installation of
modern load unloading equipment to reduce the time at Benapole port. And it is
suggested to increase the latest technology, modern machinery and skilled
manpower to increase the air cargo handling capacity of Dhaka Customs House.
On the occasion, the finance minister said that if the
recommendations of this survey are implemented, it will be easier for
Bangladesh to become a developing country. So we want to implement all these
recommendations. The chairman of NBR said that the problems need to be
identified from within for the solution. Then a favorable solution can be found
for NBR.
|Source: Online/SZK
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