Bangladesh

Import

Procedures & Local Rules

FCL, LCL & Military Restrictions

LCL Cargo:

LCL Restrictions
LCL shipments is un-stuffed at Port Yard under supervision of Chittagong Port Authority. Upon un-stuffing of LCL container, if there is any damage / short landing / shortage against B/L quantity, the Customs Authority imposed penalty @ 200 % on duty involved of the short-landed cargo in addition to cargo claim on C&F value to Carrier.
No single package will be acceptable by port Authorities as LCL which exceeds weight limit of 3 tons.
No Food item, Raw cotton, Ckd goods, perishable cargo, food grains / products, cement, fertilizer, rape, sheds, loose scrapes, C.I. sheets, C.P. sheets, G.P.sheets, tin plates, or similar type of iron materials, tyre cord and other, outside storable cargo are not acceptable as LCL (CFS).
Cargo on account of security printing press, Securities / Currency item, not acceptable as LCL
Dangerous cargo of class -01 & class - V11 is not acceptable as LCL (CFS)

FCL Cargo:

FCL Restrictions
Penalty is levied against cargo stuffed into container under term FCL/FCL.
FCL container must be under one consignment/one consignee.
Different consignments stuffed into one FCL/FCL container are against port regulations.
POL must not accept FCL container with more than one consignment/Consignee.

Military / Sensitive Cargo:

Military / Sensitive Cargo
The container stuffed with Defense cargo/Currency notes etc...is allowed for landing subject consignee arranges direct delivery. Also mention consignee / notify parties telephone / fax and email number in the Bill of Lading for sensitive cargo.

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Import Customs Requirements

Import Customs Requirements:

Import Customs Requirements
Bangladesh Customs inaugurated the “Automation program of Customs” ASYCUDA WORLD w,e,f. 1 September 2013. Customs website is www.customs.gov.bd.
MLOs are required to submit IGM 48hrs prior to vessel arrival at Chittagong (as per Feeder Operator’s ETA declaration to Port/Customs not as per Proforma Schedule or ETB).
Presently Forwarders are licensed and submit IGM to Customs online 24hrs of Feeder arrival at Chittagong, supplementary IGM declared by their name as Consignee. Accordingly, Forwarders become liable for any discrepancy of cargo (e.g.; short/excess/mis-declaration/ wrong mark/nil mark/weight etc.,) All POL colleagues must ensure all Forwarders appear as Consignee/Notify Party on BL are enlisted in Bangladesh customs site (www.customs.gov.bd) with valid AIN.
Bank Notes, Security Papers, Printing Ink for Currency are not acceptable as CFS cargo. It must be on CY status. Prior intimation must be given to POD at least 72 hours before vessel ETA to arrange appropriate security & to obtain necessary documents to facilitate cargo discharge permission.
Onion, Garlic, Dates, Ginger are highly perishable cargo by nature. Should be direct delivery from Vessel hook point, otherwise Containers will be discharge on Chassis. All costs, risk, responsibilities will be on account of Shipper/Consignee.
Only High Security BULLET SEAL must be used for all Inbound Containers per port regulations.
All shipments must have Consignee and/or Notify name address. Shipments that do not have this info will be ROB (Retain On Board) and expense on Origin/Shipper.
Following information are mandatory to be declared in the IGM (Import General Manifest): Bill of Lading No., Voy no., Departure date from last port of call, Customs Code, Carrier AIN. Freight Forwarders AIN, BIN of Bank & actual Importer in Bangladesh. Consignee/Notify party’s full name and address. P.O Box is not acceptable. Container/Seal Number. No of Packages/Nature/Commodity and code as per custom’s website ‘www.nbr-ctg.com’. Gross/Net Weight for cargo & container Marks and Numbers. Status (FCL/FCL(PART)/LCL).

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Other Procedures

Import Customs Requirements:

Manifest Amendments
Customs authorities have issued instruction drawing the attention to the customs act section-45 that henceforth any amendment including name of importer / address / marks / quantity /weight / description of cargo including cargo stuffed into container are not to be accepted by them after submission of online Import General Manifest (IGM) to customs automation system.
• Amendments Procedure (After submission of online IGM to customs)
Local consignee’s clearing agent has to apply to Customs Authority with for amending manifest enclosing B/L, L/C, Invoice, Packing List, Correction Notice from POL, Shipper’s LOI etc. all in original for necessary Customs formalities and it is consignee’s responsibility to get the amendment manifest be accepted by the Customs Authority.
Customs fine & penalty, if any, which to be known as and when Customs amendment formalities are completed by the consignee and which to be paid to the Customs Authority by the local clearing agent appointed by consignee.
If consignee is ready to absorb all the cost & responsibilities for IGM amendment in Custom’s, then POL agent may proceed to amend BL in system.

Cargo Delivery:

Cargo Delivery
According to local customs regulations, receivers are not authorized to perform import customs clearance formalities without original B/Ls i.e. to obtain customs clearance for processing delivery of cargo, receivers must present original B/L to customs Authorities. In other words, express release procedure is not acceptable except for shipments of non-commercial cargo.
Additional Very Important point: For Import cargo – If the consignee comes to us & produce his HB/L duly endorsed by the Bank & if the Freight shows “PREPAID” – Then we have to issue D/O. This is NEW law set by Joint Task Force & being followed as compulsion. Sometimes POL colleagues adv us to hold the cargo because- i) Forwarder/Shipper has not surrendered our OB/L for any reason or ii) Freight shows Prepaid – but actually not yet received by POL Colleague at Load port. So – as per new local rule, whether OB/L surrendered or not, Freight actually received or not at POL – If the HB/L is written “Freight Prepaid” & Bank endorsed, we cannot hold cargo release. If we hold,consignee directly goes to Port & basis of the new local rule, port allows cargo delivery without waiting for our D/O.

Cargo Delivery

According to local customs regulations, receivers are not authorized to perform import customs clearance formalities without original B/Ls i.e. to obtain customs clearance for processing delivery of cargo, receivers must present original B/L to customs Authorities. In other words, express release procedure is not acceptable except for shipments of non-commercial cargo.

Additional Very Important point:
For Import cargo – If the consignee comes to us & produce his HB/L duly endorsed by the Bank & if the Freight shows “PREPAID” – Then we have to issue D/O. This is NEW law set by Joint Task Force & being followed as compulsion. Sometimes POL colleagues adv us to hold the cargo because-
i) Forwarder/Shipper has not surrendered our OB/L for any reason or
ii) Freight shows Prepaid – but actually not yet received by POL Colleague at Load port.
So – as per new local rule, whether OB/L surrendered or not, Freight actually received or not at POL – If the HB/L is written “Freight Prepaid” & Bank endorsed, we cannot hold cargo release.
If we hold,consignee directly goes to Port & basis of the new local rule, port allows cargo delivery without waiting for our D/O.

Idle Full Procedure:

Idle Full Procedure
If consignee will not take delivery of their cargo, then carrier can apply to the Customs Authority with the request to sale the cargo by auction as abandoned cargo after 30 days of aging.
If reefer cargo is not taken delivery, Port deducts “Electric consumption & monitoring fee @ USD 9 per day (+15% vat) from the Carrier. No mercy to this charge.
• Auction / Abandon Procedure:
The auction sale procedure in Bangladesh is very hard and lengthy procedure.
There is no specific rule for abandoned cargo and auctioning of un-cleared / abandoned cargo is entirely Customs jurisdiction.
The carriers or its agents do not have any scope to arrange auction of any un-delivered cargo rather it is the Customs Authority to arrange auction sale of goods which is not cleared by the consignee from long time after due notice to consignee / notify party.
Further, there is no chance to recover any demurrage/dues by the carrier from the sale proceeds.

Return / re-shipment Procedure:

Return / re-shipment Procedure
Re-shipment / return of any goods from Bangladesh is very troublesome, lengthy procedure, time consuming factor, expensive, also lot of permission/documents are required from concern authorities,which to be obtained by shipper/consignee or their nominated clearing agent.
If any shipment arrives at Chittagong Carrier have to manifest / declare cargo to customs accordingly.
Once manifest declared to the Customs Authority against respective CNEE / NP, there is no scope to return the cargo without maintains formalities.
Shipper will instruct their local consignee / nominated agent to advice cost & formalities for return shipment.
In general, below listed documents required (Return/re-shipment ex-Chittagong): 1) A letter from the shipper stating satisfactory explanation for non-acceptance / return of the cargo by the consignee. 2) A letter from the shipper that all expenses will be borne by the shipper and no Bangladeshi currency will be involved for return / reshipment cargo. 3) A letter from the overseas buyer towards cancellation of order (If applicable). 4) An authorization letter from the shipper asking return of the goods. 5) No objection certificate (NOC) from the importer/ consignee in Bangladesh in returning the cargo. 6) No objection certificate (NOC) from the LC opening Bank if the cargo can be returned / re-shipped. 7) No objection certificate (NOC) from the local shipping agents. 8) No objection certificate from Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank) through L/C opening Bank. 9) Following original shipping documents are required: (i) Bill of Lading; (ii) Invoice & Packing list; (iii) Letter of credit (LC); (iv) LCA form
Shipper must advise/negotiate with Consignee to make an arrangement with forwarding and to pass necessary document to their nominate CLEARING AGENT. After receipt of necessary all above original documents 45 -60 days are required for return ex- Chittagong if everything goes normal.

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Weight Limitations

Import Customs Requirements:

Maximum Cargo Weight	Restriction
20’GP	24.00 Ton (Including tera Weight)
40'GP	30.48 Ton (including tera weight)
LCL per Package	3.00 Ton
Overweight Import Containers = If any import container found to be slightly Overweight, Port will bill BDT 1000 per day under Miscellaneous charge head in Port Invoice. If any shifting is required from CCT to GCB than extra trailer haulage charge + LOLO as per port tariff will be charged
Awackward cargo = For any Awackward cargo import to Bangladesh, POL colleagues are advised to ask our OPS unit first whether the cargo can be discharged at Chittagong or not before accepting any Booking. The feedback will be on case to case basis

Road Limitation:

Maximum Cargo Weight	Restriction
Dhaka ~ Chittagong Highway (Over 2 River bridge)	30 Tons Gross weight
There is no Specific Road Limitation for transportation of containers to/from port area. But for the highway from Chittagong to Dhaka there are 2 bridges on the river & Authority do not allow more than 30 Tons Gross to move over the bridge, but by alternative route on the road 30 tons or more can be transported.

Railway Limitation:

Maximum Cargo Weight	Restriction
20'GP	24.00 Ton (Including tera Weight)
40'GP	30.48 Ton (including tera weight)
Bangladesh railway Authorities fix gross weight of Dhaka (ICD Kamalapur, Dhaka via Chittagong) bound containers.
The transit time from Chittagong to ICD Dhaka is about 12 hours. There are 2 train services daily & each train carries about 30 - 40 boxes per train in average.

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