Business leaders have urged the government to waive the demurrage charges for delays in taking delivery and shipping goods from ports in the last five days.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) also demanded the authorities to refrain from imposing any new charge in between 15 days after normalcy returns to shipment and import clearance activities at the ports.
The apex trade body made the call through a statement issued by FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam, as the businesses could not complete export import activities in the last one week because of internet blackout followed by countrywide curfew.
The call came as business and economic activities resumed today morning as the government restored broadband internet connections to selected areas and relaxed curfew, which was imposed to quell violent protests that left at least 150 people dead since July 16. The Chattogram port, which handles nearly 90 percent of Bangladesh's over $100 billion international trade, witnessed container congestion amid problems in duty assessment by customs authority, and the payments of bills at banks in the absence of internet since July 18 night.
Import-export activities were closed for the past few days due to the quota-reform movement and the activities are currently running on a limited scale, the trade body mentioned.
Mentionable, import-export and clearing activities were stopped at various ports of the country for the past few days due to the violence caused in the wake of the quota-reform movement.
At present, the clearing activities of daily necessities are going on a limited scale. It is reported that the operation of the port will be normal from tonight as the internet service has been restored.
