The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued a new directive to accelerate the auction, disposal, and destruction of uncleared goods at the Chittagong Port, aiming to ease container congestion and improve port efficiency. The order is titled Special Order on Expedited Auction, Disposal, and Destruction Procedures at Chittagong Port 2025.
By addressing a sizable backlog of containers that have been uncleared since January 1, 2013, the action aims to prevent port operations from being disrupted. Numerous of these containers include dangerous compounds and antiquated chemicals, which provide major safety issues, including the possibility of explosions.
The NBR noted that due to logistical problems, restricted commodities, unresponsive bidders, and legal obstacles, the typical auction procedure has been too sluggish to adequately handle these risks. The new rule eliminates these obstacles by allowing the majority of commodities to be sold at the highest offer in a single auction without establishing a reserve price. Items that are restricted or deteriorated can be given to specialised organisations for safe disposal at no cost.
If auctions are unable to find buyers, the items may be sold following widespread public notice without the need for additional auctions. In order to ensure safer handling, expired hazardous goods can also be supplied to authorised users or organisations who have the required accreditation.
It is anticipated that the action will lessen traffic, stop the abuse of public funds, lessen security risks, and improve the general effectiveness and security of port operations.
