National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan has announced that the authorities are considering a new strategy to sell luxury vehicles imported duty-free by former members of parliament, rather than putting them up for auction.
He made the statement while speaking to journalists following a meeting with stakeholders at the Chittagong Customs House on Friday afternoon.
“The vehicles were initially placed for auction, but the outcome was not satisfactory. We are now exploring alternative options. Some government agencies have proposed acquiring the vehicles at 60% of their market value. However, we do not intend to sell these high-value cars for throwaway prices,” said the NBR chief.
He further said: “Each of these vehicles is worth between Tk8 crore and Tk9 crore. If a reasonable price cannot be secured, we will consult with higher authorities in the government to determine more effective uses for the vehicles. We are not in favour of letting them sit idle for years or eventually scrapping them. A final decision will be taken soon.”
The luxury vehicles in question were imported under duty-free privileges by MPs following the 12th parliamentary election.
On August 6, after a change in the political landscape following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, parliament was dissolved and the NBR revoked the duty-free import facility.
Consequently, the former lawmakers abandoned the vehicles.
Out of a total of 42 vehicles, 24 were offered for auction in the first phase by Chittagong Customs in February.
However, the bids ranged from as low as Tk1 lakh to a maximum of Tk3.1 crore—far below market value, prompting Customs to withhold approval of the sales.
In response to another question, the NBR chairman said that approximately 6,000 containers have been lying unclaimed at the port for an extended period.
"We have initiated steps to ease port congestion by auctioning these containers. One round of auctions has already been conducted, and the highest bidders will be awarded the goods. This move is aimed at preventing delays typically associated with prolonged auction procedures,” he explained.
Prior to the media briefing, the NBR chairman held a meeting with leaders of the C&F Agents Association.
During the session, its president, SM Saiful Alam, and other representatives highlighted various challenges in import-export operations.
