A new committee formed by the Custom House in Chattogram will begin auctioning or destroying idle goods in a move to free up space at Bangladesh’s busiest port.
The decision, backed by a special directive from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), was confirmed on Tuesday by an office order signed by Custom House Commissioner Mohammad Shafiuddin.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Deputy Commissioner Saidul Islam said the primary goal is to “maintain smooth port operations” and reduce the pressure from accumulated goods that are no longer needed or claimed.
Who’s on the Committee
The committee is led by Additional Commissioner Mohammad Tafsir Uddin Bhuiyan and includes senior customs officers: Additional Commissioner Md Ruhul Amin, all Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, and Revenue Officers working in the auction branch.
Assistant Revenue Officers from the Auction Customs Branch will act as member secretaries.
Their task is clear: process and dispose of all auctionable non-vehicle goods tied to import or export operations by 31 December 2023.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just about clearing space. According to customs officials, the buildup of idle goods poses security risks and wastes public resources. A large portion of the goods in limbo remain undeclared, unpaid for in duties, or confiscated under the Customs Act.
The NBR wants faster decisions—either auctioning the goods or destroying them—before the backlog slows down port operations further.
The Numbers Behind the Pressure
As of 8 July, Chattogram Port is holding 10,060 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of auctionable containers. That’s about 19 percent of the port’s total storage capacity of 53,518 TEUs, according to Chattogram Port Authority data.
It’s a figure that alarmed many in the sector. Every day lost to gridlock slows trade, increases demurrage charges, and stretches port resources thin.
The new committee’s performance over the next few months will likely determine whether these numbers drop—or continue climbing.
For now, the pressure is on.
