Importers rush to port to release goods

Importers rushed to the Chittagong port yesterday as they look to secure the delivery of imported goods on the last day of the week and during the weekend in order to avoid being caught in another spell of blockade.

But they had to count additional fares as vehicle owners are charging exorbitant rates amid a reduced number of transports available to move goods owing to the ongoing blockade.

The delivery of import consignments from the port dropped more than 19 percent on Wednesday, the first day of the 48-hour blockade as cargoes from 3,165 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of containers were delivered on the day compared to 3,924 TEUs on Tuesday.

But the port saw heavy pressure for delivery yesterday as a huge number of trucks and covered vans started entering the port since morning to receive products.

Port officials say more than 3,000 vehicles came to the port as of 4pm and the number will cross 5,000 during the night. Some 3,000 vehicles took deliveries in the 24 hours to 8:00am on Wednesday.

The pressure has created a shortage of vehicles.

Clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents spent much of the day talking on their mobile phones, arranging vehicles to carry goods on behalf of importers.

They alleged that vehicle owners were charging Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 more than the usual fares.

Bigosa International, a Dhaka-based commercial item importer, needed two covered vans to load over 10 tonnes of wallpapers imported from China on Tuesday to carry them to its warehouse in the capital's Mohakhali.

"My transport agent in Chattogram tried the whole day but failed to manage a single vehicle," said Enamul Haque, owner of the firm.

Later in the afternoon, they managed two vehicles each charging Tk 24,500, way higher than the normal rate of Tk 14,000 to Tk 15,000, he said.

He admitted that he wanted to ensure the release of the cargo before another blockade begins.

BNP has called a 48-hour countrywide blockade from Sunday demanding the resignation of the government, an election-time neutral government and the release of its leaders.

Haque said the import cost has increased and it needs to be adjusted in order to reduce losses.

Kamruzzaman Sagor, owner of a C&F firm, said importers are urging them to take the delivery of imported goods on Friday and Saturday to avoid risks.

Far East Knitting & Dyeing Industry, a garment manufacturer in Dhaka, imported 100 tonnes of yarn from India last week. It received 70 tonnes of the cargo in several phases before the latest round of the blockade started.

Asad Uz Zaman, assistant general manager of the company, said its C&F agent managed to find three covered vans yesterday to move the rest of the raw materials. The transport cost will be Tk 25,000 per vehicle.

Deen Mohammad, general secretary of the Inter-District Truck Covered Van Owners Association, said 70 percent of transport owners and workers are unwilling to ply vehicles for fear of vandalism or arson.

"The owners who are allowing their vehicles to move have had to find drivers and helpers by paying extra. This is why they are charging higher."

He, however, said that the hike is not that much compared to the maintenance cost amidst the current price hike of fuel and other essentials.

"It now takes four to five days to complete a round trip since clients are not easily available during the return trip as there has been a sharp fall in exports," said the leader, adding that they are realising additional fares in order to absorb the increase in expenses.