BM Depot gets go-ahead for RMG cargo handling

Privately owned BM Container Depot resumed handling export cargoes on a limited scale today after over four and a half months of the fatal explosion at the depot on June 4 that left 51 people dead.

The customs authority gave the permission to handle only readymade garments for the next three months on nine conditions, including it would not be allowed to handle any cargo containing dangerous goods (DG) such as chemical products.

Other conditions include mandatory collection of no objection certificate (NOC) from Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), ensuring all conditions mentioned in the Private ICD/CFS Policy, 2021 and  Bonded Warehouse Licensing Rules, 2008, ensuring fire safety measures based on the Fire Prevention and Fighting Act, 2003, installing necessary container and cargo handling equipment according to the CPA regulations and approved bonded warehouse license, bringing the whole ICD and CFS area under CCTV coverage, setting up backup storage at different spots outside the ICD within the three months.

The ICD authority would also have to collect a fire safety plan approved by the fire service and civil defence office and need to implement the measures as per the plan on a regular basis, said a senior official of Chattogram Custom House referring to the conditions.

The BM Depot authority would have to arrange a separate yard and shed for storing and handling dangerous goods and chemical items according to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and would not be allowed to handle such goods within the permitted period, he added.

Fifty-one people were killed and over 200 injured as well a huge quantity of import and export cargoes and containers got damaged as a fire originated at the deport on June 4.

Later, Chattogram Customs House suspended all import and export operations through the depot.

Following repeated appeals from the depot authority and also requests from different business bodies including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on October 19 gave a nod to the request and directed the Custom House in this regard, said sources.

Following NBR's direction, the Custom House on October 24 gave the depot temporary permission for handling exports partially, said Customs Commissioner Mohammad Faizur Rahman.

If the conditions are not implemented, the permission would be cancelled automatically, he said.

Earlier on August 22, the customs authority gave the depot conditional permission to handle empty containers.

BM Container Depot, a concern of Smart Group, is one of the 19 privately owned inland container depots (ICDs) through which cent per cent of export cargoes, empty containers and import containers carrying 38 types of cargoes are handled.

Captain Mainul Ahsan, executive director of Smart Group, said they started handling export cargoes today after receiving permission from the customs.

He said they have already taken several fire safety measures to set up a high-power water pump while installing a water cum foam hydrant system with a 2.50 lakh gallon capacity water reservoir tank.