Gold Star’s fabric container goes missing from CPA 

CHATTOGRAM, Sept 19: A 40-foot container carrying fabric rolls worth around Tk 3 crore has gone missing from the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) yard after customs clearance and payment of port charges, putting an export-oriented garment manufacturer at risk of missing delivery deadlines.

The container, carrying 668 bales of imported garment fabric for Gold Star Garments Ltd, an export-oriented factory in Savar, was discharged at the port’s NCT-2 berth from the vessel MV MCC Danang on August 15. The importer’s C&F agent, SRS Syndicate, submitted the bill of entry through the Customs ASYCUDA World system and paid the applicable duties and port charges on August 22. When the agent went to collect the container from the yard on August 30, however, CPA officials could not locate it.

The agency members informed CPA officials of the matter, but the container could not be found.

The owner of SRS Syndicate submitted a written complaint to the CPA Chairman on September 2. The CPA authorities formed a special six-member joint committee to look into how the container disappeared from the high-security yard, said CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim.
The disappearance of the container has triggered concerns among port authorities, prompting an investigation into the incident.

The missing raw materials have put the garment factory’s production schedule at risk and threatened its export deadlines. Gold Star Garments is now facing serious difficulties as it has not received the fabric on time. The company may fail to deliver its export products to buyers within the scheduled deadline.

Replying to a query from The Daily Observer, CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim said, “We have been trying to find out where the missing container is as soon as possible.”