Importers on Sunday demanded the government exempts all kinds of fines imposed due to delay in releasing goods from the Chittagong port amid countrywide shutdown to prevent coronavirus spread.
Executive Member of the Bangladesh Papers Merchants Association and General Secretary of the Chattogram Kagoj O Cellophane Basbosai Group Mohammad Belal, on behalf of the trade bodies, submitted a letter to shipping ministry and the Chittagong Port Authority seeking the penalty waiver, reports UNB.
“The government extended the general holiday several times to prevent the virus outbreak. In the period, a huge amount of goods including raw materials of different industries, especially paper and paper board industry, arrived at Chittagong port,” he said, adding that the importers failed to receive those in time due to shutdown situation.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue on April 22, instructed its officials to realize normal tariffs on the unreleased products and impose penalty for delay.
Mohammad Belal said imposing fines was not rational at all considering the crisis moment.
“It will be a heavy pressure on traders,” he added.
The business leader called the authorities concerned for taking immediate steps and relieving them of fines.
President of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahbubul Alam said the government should consider the demand and relax policies so that the traders could unload goods at the port by April 30 deadline without any penalty.
