The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Automated operation of Chittagong Custom House (CCH) began this morning.

Chief Coordinator of the Automation System and Chamber Director Mohammed Amirul Haque said that the activities of the CCH would go under total automation in phases.

"There may be shortcomings in the system specially working on 'Bill of Entry," Amirul Haque said.

The stakeholders like Shipping Agents and Freight Forwarders started submitting their Import General Manifest (IGM) and Export General Manifest (EGM) sitting at their respective offices or places off their works from 9:00 in the morning.

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry in cooperation with joint forces took up the responsibility of introducing and implementing this mega project without financial support from the Government.

Earlier, the CCCI and CCH with the help of joint-forces designed the project outline in the backdrop of previously taken automation move by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

It has also reduced the steps of export and import activities from 42 to six.

Tax Automation system chief coordinator and Chittagong Customs joint commissioner M Matiur Rahman said that the new system would bring dynamism in tax collection.

Joint force regional commander Brigadier General Hasan Nasir, FBCCI director Amirul Haque, BGMEA first vice-president MA Salam, Customs Commissioner (import) Shah Alam Khan and Customs Commissioner (export) Magrub Ahmed, among others were present on the first hour of the newly introduced system.