No topic a High Court docket injunction, the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC) continues to transport items through lighter ships across 37 inland water routes from Chattogram Port.
Even though the High Court docket issued a conclude on the serial transportation machine following a writ petition by vessel owners on November 19, BWTCC has saved the machine in location. As a result, importers are unable to hire vessel by their selection and are paying an additional designate of Tk150 to Tk200 per tonne for transportation.
On December 3, the Bangladesh Cement Producers Association served a respectable undercover agent to eight representatives of assorted organisations, including the director general of the Division of Shipping, the chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority, and the chairman of BWTCC, accusing them of contempt of court docket. The consciousness became as soon as issued by Supreme Court docket lawyer Mustafizur Rahman Khan.
The comprehensive undercover agent said that the Division of Shipping, BWTCC, and linked organisations are violating the court docket’s directive.
The Cement Producers Association said that despite the court docket expose, BWTCC is enforcing the serial machine, which is ensuing in increased transportation costs of Tk150-200 per tonne.
Makes an strive to attain BWTCC Convener and Bangladesh Cargo Vessel House owners Association (BCVOA) President Saeed Ahmed had been unsuccessful.
However, Engineer Mehbub Kabir, general secretary of BCVOA and a member of BWTCC, suggested The Change Usual that lighter vessels are still being operated basically based on the serial machine as expected by vessel owners. Every single day, BWTCC’s location of job at Agrabad in Chattogram, points serials for 50-70 lighter vessels. “If vessel owners follow the serial machine, what enviornment does the Cement Producers Association beget?” Mehbub Kabir puzzled.
Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam, director general of the Division of Shipping, said, “We’re not monitoring the BWTCC or the serial machine following the High Court docket’s directive on the transportation policy.” He denied any allegations of fine violations against his division.
Earlier, three vessel owners’ associations—Bangladesh Cargo Vessel House owners Association (BCVOA), Coastal Vessel House owners Association (COAB), and Inland Vessel House owners Association of Chittagong (IVOAC)—jointly managed the serial machine throughout the Water Transport Cell. However, disputes amongst vessel owners and a High Court docket injunction resulted in the dissolution of the Water Transport Cell.
Since 2023, these associations were working serials independently, permitting importers to hire vessels of their selection. In consequence, cargo transportation costs across routes from Chattogram to Dhaka and other areas reduced by spherical 20% over the previous year.
Within the period in-between, the Division of Shipping launched the Items Transport Protection 2024 to designate obvious self-discipline in cargo transportation from Chattogram Port. The director general of the division inaugurated the serial machine on November 4.
Fifteen days later, on November 19, 11 lighter vessel owners filed a writ petition sturdy the legality of the policy and the activities of BWTCC.
Following the writ petition, Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi imposed a six-month suspension on the Items Transport Protection 2024 and issued a rule searching out for an explanation from the authorities.
The rule of thumb inquires why the Items Transport Protection 2024 and the institution and operation of BWTCC may perchance well also fair still not be declared as actions taken “with out accurate authority”.
