To alleviate severe congestion at the country’s busiest port, the Bangladesh Customs Department has announced a special auction of abandoned imports valued at approximately Taka 100 crore, scheduled for 8th August. This marks the first large-scale sale under a new initiative aimed at expediting clearance and reducing port delays.
The auction, conducted by the Custom House in Chittagong, will feature 6,000 tonnes of goods contained within 343 containers, divided into 146 lots. The items include fabrics, machinery, tyres, tiles, steel, scrap materials, plastics, and sodium sulphate, all of which were imported between 2020 and 2023 but remain unclaimed by their owners.
Md Sakib Hossain, assistant commissioner of Chittagong Custom House, explained that this is the first time such a significant number of containers are being auctioned through this special mechanism, emphasising that the process has been designed to be faster and more transparent to free up port space and minimise delays.
The containers are open for inspection until 31st July, and bidders with a valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) can submit their bids online from anywhere in the country until 7th August. To encourage participation, bidders are provided a 10-day window for inspection and full online access.
Unlike traditional auctions, there is no reserve price set for the lots in this special sale, though legal verification of bids is mandatory. Customs officials believe this approach will attract more bidders by allowing goods to be awarded to the highest bidder regardless of the bid amount.
Currently, the Chattogram Port Authority reports approximately 9,644 unreleased containers stranded at the port. Among these, 383 contain perishable goods such as fruits and spices, 357 hold hazardous materials, and the remaining containers are filled with non-perishable items like construction materials, chemicals, electronics, and consumer goods. Additionally, 453 imported vehicles, brought in by 208 companies and individuals since 1995, are also pending clearance.
In June, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a special order permitting customs authorities across all sea and land ports to sell goods through e-auction, spot auction, or direct sale under certain conditions. The order also allows hazardous materials to be disposed of either at a set price or free of charge to authorized agencies.
Items imported before 2024 are now eligible for this special auction process, while goods imported in 2024 and later will continue to be sold via the regular auction system. Alongside this initiative, customs authorities are preparing to hold a regular auction of approximately 2,000 tonnes of goods from 113 containers grouped into 64 lots, scheduled for 30th July. Participation in this auction is also open to all eligible bidders online.
Bangladesh’s customs law mandates that importers must take delivery of their goods within 15 days of arrival; failure to do so triggers procedures for auctioning off the unclaimed items. The move aims to streamline port operations and prevent the buildup of abandoned cargo, which has contributed significantly to congestion at Chittagong Port.
