Leaders of a traders’ forum today (6 October) made allegations of corruption and irregularities at the Chattogram Custom House.
Speaking at a discussion programme at the Member Hall of the customs house, they also demanded the authorities concerned to revoke the C&F (Clearing and Forwarding) licensing regulations, which they termed as a “black law”.
SM Saiful Alam, convener of Chattogram Bonchito Baboshae Forum (Deprived Traders’ Forum), emphasised the detrimental effects of unchecked corruption and irregularities at the Chattogram Custom House.
“Corruption and inefficiency within the customs house are severely impacting the country’s industrial sector, especially production-oriented industries. Such malpractice is negatively affecting the national economy,” he said.
Saiful elaborated on the corrupt practices, pointing out the imposition of arbitrarily high duties on imported goods under the guise of database examinations.
“In many cases, the rules are not followed, and the market value of imported goods is not properly verified. This leads to harassment of importers and enables corruption within the customs process. Additionally, customs officials often disregard the concerns of traders, further worsening the situation,” he added.
He also criticised the arbitrary cancellation of C&F licences, which he said further complicates matters for traders.
“Even C&F agents, who operate in this key revenue sector, want to see a customs process free from corruption and harassment. The Chittagong Chamber and the customs house need significant reforms, and we, on behalf of this traders’ forum, are working to resolve the issues faced by the 3,000 C&F traders,” he further added.
The forum’s member secretary Shahidul Islam Chowdhury called for a revision and reform of existing customs assessment rules. He, however, stressed that the primary focus must be on eradicating corruption.
“Amending the rules alone will not curb the activities of those benefiting from corruption. Many customs officers and employees at the custom house use various tactics to harass importers, and some are lured by the prospect of becoming millionaires overnight through lucrative postings at these stations,” he said.
