In the face of opposition by the shipping agents and other port users against the proposed hike of different charges of the inland container depots, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has convened a meeting at its office on Tuesday (tomorrow) to find a solution to the problem. The meeting will be held at 11:30 am in the Bandar Bhaban (CPA head office) with the port chairman Rear Admiral Nizam Uddin Ahmed in the chair. Representatives of BICDA (Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association), Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Customs Clearing & Forwarding Agents Association, Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, Port Users Forum, Chittagong Customs House, Chittagong Port Truck Owners & Contractors Association and Main Line Operators will be present in the meeting. It may be recalled that BICDA has recently enhanced its storage, handling and other charges of export and import containers from January 1, 2016 as the off-dock owners said they have been incurring losses because the charges were not enhanced since 2010 while their operating cost has gone much higher. Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association and Port Users Forum, led by Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have raised objection to the unilateral decision of hiking charges by the BICDA because the shipping business throughout the world has been experiencing a slump. Following the debacle, the CPA has urged the BICDA members not to hike the charges until all quarters concerned reach a consensus on the issue. Following the CPA’s request the ICD owners have abstained themselves from claiming higher charges from January 1.
