Arafat kader, CTG

This instruction was given in the case of transfer of imported goods, loading and unloading of goods and delivery of goods to private Inland Container Depots (ICD) or off-docks approved by Chittagong Customs House.

This instruction was given in a letter signed by Alamin, Second Secretary of the Export and Bonds Branch of Customs, on Thursday (August  14, 2025).

The letter basically said that steps should be taken to keep the operational activities of Chittagong Port uninterrupted and to keep the country’s import-export trade uninterrupted.

According to various orders and permits issued earlier, 65 types of imported goods were allowed to be transferred to approved ICDs or off-docks. However, this order was issued in the wake of recent complaints from industrial institutions, business organizations and stakeholders about the complexity, time delay and lack of capacity in the off-dock process, the letter said. The guidelines are as follows:

* Containers must be taken off-dock on the day of unloading from the ship.

*If all containers of a line cannot be taken in one day, the remaining containers must be taken the next day.

*In case of charges, the charges will be determined only after all the containers of the entire consignment are taken off-dock.

* If the off-dock authorities are unable to handle the containers due to capacity shortage or any other reason, the Customs Commissioner may approve ‘dual delivery’ at his discretion.

Chittagong Port is the largest seaport in the country and about 92 percent of the total import and export is completed through it. ICD or off-dock is introduced to reduce port congestion and speed up the unloading of goods. Currently, 19 private off-docks are operating in Chittagong, which are mainly handling imported containers and delivering them.