15 off-docks violate regulations, causing traffic chaos in Ctg

Around 15 off-docks are currently operating in Chattogram city within a range of 5km to 20km from the Chattogram port, violating the regulations of the Ministry of Shipping and National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Stakeholders have said around 4,000 vehicles involved in transporting containers to these off-docks are triggering severe traffic congestion in the port city, causing a significant loss of valuable working hours for its residents.

According to the Private Inland Container Depot (ICD) policy of the shipping ministry and NBR, formulated in 2016 and 2021 respectively, off-docks should be set up at a distance of at least 20 km from Chattogram port.

While new off-docks have not been allowed to be established in violation of the regulations, the existing ones are still operational, contradicting policies.

Chattogram Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (traffic port) Mostafizur Rahman said, "Off-docks are not following ICD policies. Heavy vehicles often have accidents on important roads surrounding Chattogram port and the EPZ. The police have to face problems in traffic management."

The Chattogram port advisory committee recently decided at a meeting to relocate private ICDs outside the city to ease traffic congestion, but implementation remains pending despite letters sent to the off-dock authorities.

Chattogram Port Secretary Omar Farooq said that in order to keep the city free from traffic congestion, the advisory committee decided to move the off-docks outside the city, to Sitakunda and Mirsarai.

"The port can only inform the authorities about the situation but cannot take policy decisions. On this, the Ministry of Shipping and NBR will have to take a decision," he added.

According to sources, the off-docks handle around 100% of Chattogram port's export products and around 25% of its import products. The collective container capacity of the private off-docks in Chattogram amounts to 78,700 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

The export products are transported to the off-docks by trucks or covered vans, where they are then loaded into containers. Subsequently, these containers, filled with the respective products, are transported to the port for shipping.

In the past, container loading used to take place within the confines of Chattogram port. This often resulted in congestion within the port premises. To alleviate this pressure, the private sector was granted permission to establish and operate ICDs.

The inception of private ICDs commenced in 1984 with the establishment of the company Seafarers Limited. Following this, a gradual expansion led to the establishment of 19 private ICDs till 2021.

Recently, the NBR cancelled the permission granted to Saif Logistics Ltd to set up an off-dock citing a violation of its private ICD policy.

Following the initial approval granted to Saif Logistics for the construction of an off-dock, the Private Container Depot Owner Association sent a letter to the NBR, alleging a breach of the ICD policy.

Consequently, in light of these allegations, the approval for Saif Logistics was subsequently revoked.

However, there are allegations that earlier in 2018 Messrs Anchorage Container Ltd in South Kattali of the city was allowed to set up an off-dock, violating the private ICD policy 2016 formulated by the shipping ministry.

Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary of the Private Container Depot Owners Association, told The Business Standard, "According to the 2021 policy, the new ICDs must be established 20 km away from the city. It only mentioned the proposed ICDs. However, it has not been said that the existing off-docks should be taken out of the city."

"The off-docks inside the city were built according to the office order of 1998 for the establishment of private ICDs. Businessmen have already invested a lot of money here. Even if these structures are asked to be removed, it is not possible as businessmen will count losses," he said.

He further said the issue of traffic congestion due to off-docks will not apply to the old off-docks.

"Keeping in mind these off-docks, the government is constructing link roads, elevated expressways. However, the city does not have the capacity to take the pressure of new off-docks. That is why we oppose the establishment of a new off-dock in the city," said Ruhul Amin Sikder.