The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sought the intervention of the Ministry of Shipping in bringing down the increased handling charges on import and export goods at private inland container depots (ICDs).
The organization sent a letter to the minister of state for shipping on Monday, opposing the decision of ICDs to set higher container handling charges.
The letter mentioned that according to ICD policy-2016, a tariff committee needs to be formed to set the charges of ICDs.
But private inland container depots are unilaterally levying higher charges on containers without any approval of a tariff committee, it also said.
The organization also requested the ministry to take urgent steps to restrain the charge hike to continue Bangladesh's export growth amidst the ongoing domestic economic crisis.
Earlier on November 4 last year, private ICDs increased handling charges by 23% on import and export goods unilaterally.
On August 11, private ICDs increased the handling charge on imported goods by 35% citing the fuel oil price hike.
