Kamalapur ICD timing hurts exporters

A ban on container movement in Dhaka during daytime and the office timing of Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in the capital may impact the country's export earnings badly, exporters said. Dhaka Metropolitan Police has stopped movement of containers during daytime -- between 8 am and 8 pm -- since October 15 except some for readymade garments. "We support the ban on container movement during daytime to reduce traffic congestion. But the ICD at Kamalapur must keep open its office after 8 pm for the sake of the exporters," said Mizanur Rahman, chairman of Meghna Group that exports bicycle worth nearly Tk 400 crore a year. As the Kamalapur ICD remains open until 8 pm, the exporters will get none at the ICD if they take their containers there after that time. The exporters have already brought the issue to the notice of the police and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the country's apex trade body. There have been talks for years on shifting the ICD at Kamalapur to Gazipur for better movement of import and export containers in the Dhaka-Chittagong transport corridor. Several years ago the government had also selected a place at Dhirasram in Gazipur for the depot. But no progress is seen yet despite the World Bank's intention to support developing an ICD outside Dhaka. Bangladesh earned over $15 billion from exports in fiscal 2008-09. Dhaka and Chittagong are the country's two major manufacturing zones of export items. Dhaka- based exporters use Kamalapur ICD for sending their goods to Chittagong Port. "We have special permission from the police for our containers," said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. "We were told two months ago that the police would allow increase of container movement in the city. A full ban on the container movement will certainly affect the country's exports," said Fazlul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Mizanur Rahman of Meghna Group, also the president of Bangladesh Bicycle and Parts Manufacturers Association, said the police are stopping their containers loaded with export items. Rahman said he wants the government to keep Kamalapur ICD open at least until 12 at night for the exporters. "Otherwise, we will be in serious trouble," he added. However, an official of Kamalapur ICD said they are yet to get any directive from the National Board of Revenue to keep the office open after 8 pm. Meanwhile, a World Bank official said the multilateral lender has started preparation for a proposed project to build an ICD at Dhirasram in Gazipur. The project is aimed at supporting the government to develop required infrastructure to achieve regionally competitive transport costs and more movement of import and export containers in the Dhaka-Chittagong transport corridor, the official said.