White Paper recommends establishing inland container depots in economic zones
The White Paper Committee has recommended the creation of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Economic Zones (EZs).
The final draft of the document, which was submitted to the chief adviser (CA) of the interim government today (1 December), stated that customs procedures add more complexity to the process and frequent mismatches in HS code in the Import General Manifest (IGM) lead to a delay in the process.
"Operational efficiency is further obstructed by the non-availability of essential service status for customs clearance and the non-availability of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for key ports such as Chattogram and Dhaka airports," said the White Paper.
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It also mentioned that there are no streamlined guidelines related to foreign companies seeking loans from parent companies, thus slowing down access to financial support.
The document highlights that investors face challenges such as congestion at Chattogram Port, insufficient storage capacity in Export Processing Zones (EPZs), and additional costs arising from the inability to reuse import containers.
The document also pointed out that rigid categorisation between export-oriented and domestic enterprises limits foreign direct investment (FDI) aimed at serving both markets.
In this context, the White Paper Committee emphasised the importance of introducing bonded storage facilities, permitting container round use in Economic Zones (EZs), and expanding this practice in Inland Container Depots (ICDs) to enhance supply chain efficiency and attract greater foreign direct investment (FDI).
