Nearly two months after the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) proposed allowing private off-docks to handle up to 80 per cent of import containers, the proposal remains in limbo despite years of similar recommendations by the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), the World Bank and business leaders to ease congestion at the country's main seaport.
While talking with several officials in the National Board of Revenue (NBR) found no clear indication of the proposal's progress.
One NBR official said some policy proposals remain "top secret" while under review and declined to comment further.
Another official said he could not confirm whether the proposal was still under consideration, had stalled or had been dropped.
A BIDA official also said the agency has yet to receive any feedback. The official, however, said some customs officials may not welcome the move as a larger role for private off-docks could reduce their authority over import cargo handling.
BIDA submitted the proposal to the Finance Ministry on May 9 as part of a wider deregulation package aimed at improving the ease of doing business.
It proposes gradually increasing the share of import containers handled by private inland container depots (ICDs), or off-docks, to 80 per cent.
At present, the NBR allows private ICDs to clear only 65 categories of imported goods, although all export containers are already processed through 21 private off-docks. BIDA believes the reform could substantially reduce congestion at Chattogram Port and significantly increase the handling capacity of its terminals.
Supporting the proposal, Captain Mainul Ahsan, Executive Director of BM Container Depot Ltd, said the country's private ICD sector has long been handling export cargo efficiently and is fully prepared to take on a much larger volume of import containers. He said operators have invested heavily in larger container yards, modern handling equipment, digital reporting, customs facilities, CCTV surveillance, reefer services and transport fleets, while several new ICDs are also expected to start operations in the coming years, adding further capacity.
Captain Mainul said concerns over customs control should not stand in the way of the reform because ICDs already operate under direct customs supervision. Customs officers remain stationed inside the depots, while every container movement is monitored through electronic documentation, gate control systems, CCTV coverage and digital reporting. Expanding import handling through ICDs would make cargo movement even more transparent and traceable through integrated digital systems linking Customs, the NBR, CPA and shipping lines, he said.
He said the policy could deliver visible results within a short time by shifting import containers out of the crowded port yards, freeing valuable terminal space, reducing vessel waiting time and speeding up cargo delivery.
It would also reduce unnecessary movements of empty containers between the port and ICDs, cutting logistics costs, fuel consumption, road congestion and transport delays.
Allowing ICDs to place export containers inside the port in advance would further improve trailer utilisation and overall logistics efficiency, he added.
Captain Mainul said the transition should be implemented gradually through close coordination among the CPA, NBR, Customs, shipping lines and ICD operators. With proper regulatory support, digital integration and phased implementation, the reform could become a transformational step for Bangladesh's logistics sector.
The proposal revives a reform that has been advocated for years. The CPA, the World Bank and business organisations have repeatedly recommended expanding import handling through private off-docks to reduce congestion, lower trade costs and improve Bangladesh's competitiveness.
Yet, despite broad support, the latest BIDA initiative remains without any visible decision.
