The Chattogram Custom House on July 8 auctioned off around 118 tonnes of fruits at Tk 74.6 lakh -- apple at Tk 61 a kg and orange at Tk 67.

Although the authorities had fixed the reserve value for the goods at Tk 2.09 crore, the bidders of the open auction did not show that much interest due to the bad condition of the fruits.

Around 94.88 tonnes of apple and around 23.46 tonnes of orange were bid out, which were brought in by four Dhaka-based importers—Tradeco, Khadija Enterprise, Jarifa Enterprise and Siddique and Sons—at the beginning of this year.

The customs started the auction process in May this year when the importers refused to take release of the goods in time.

A customs official said businesses mainly do not take delivery of the imported goods particularly fruits when they find the market price of the goods is less than the import value.

Importers need to take delivery of the goods they brought in within 30 days after the goods are unloaded from ships at the port jetty.

The customs authorities send notice to the importers if they do not take delivery of the imported goods within the 30-day window.

The customs authorities can auction off the goods if the importer does not receive the cargo within 15 days of the issuance of the notice.

"The quality of the apple is not good. I offered the top price of the goods among one hundred bidders in an open tender," Alam Hossain, proprietor of Hossain Trading and a top bidder of apple, told The Daily Star.

"Over hundred bidders took part in the open auction and the proposals will be sent to the auction committee mentioning the names of the highest bidders. The goods will be handed over if the auction committee approves the proposals, a custom official said.

If the proposals do not get approval, the goods will be auctioned again, he said.