CHITTAGONG, Jan 17:–A “One Stop Service Centre” was introduced on Sunday at Chittagong Port for quicker and hassle-free delivery of imported consignments, reports BSS.

About 1,200 thousand sft of the M-shed inside the port jetty as been turned into the modern service providing centre by developing necessary infrastructural supports including posting of adequate manpower and setting up of booths of two banks.

From now on, the importers need to go only one initial point for getting delivery of their imported goods.

Now an importer is to spend only one and a half hour instead of previous four days in getting delivery of their imported consignments. The existing delivery process will come down to 12 phases from 48, officials said. Exporters and trade body leaders highly appreciated the government for introducing the “One Stop Service Centre” at the Port. Shipping Secretary Mohammad Ismail Zabiullah inaugurated the centre.

Addressing the function, leaders of various trade organisations said such facilities, which were the long-felt demands of the business community, would contribute greatly to facilitate exports and imports particularly the readymade garments and also soften the bite of the post-MFA trade regime into the country’s biggest foreign exchange earning sector.

With Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman A M M Shahadat Hossain in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Nepal Chandra Sircar, BGMEA President Anisul Haq, First Vice-President M A Salam, its Chairman of the Law and Customs Committee Mahmoob Chowdhury, and former President of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury.

Chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Dr Pervez Sajjad Akhter, Chairman of the Bangladesh Masters Stevedores Association A H M Manzur Alam, Director (Traffic) of the CPA Ahsanul Kabir and General Secretary of the CPA-CBA Sheikh Nurullah Bahar also spoke on the occasion.

The shipping secretary said the government is doing its best to minimise the possible consequences of the post-MFA era on the garments sector by taking various efforts.

The uninterrupted and improved port service, and its up-to- the mark efficiency are the important factors in combating the post-MFA era, he said adding that the government has taken some short, medium and long-term schemes for modernising and developing the country’s prime seaport at an estimated cost of Taka 2,068 crore.

The shipping secretary said some of those projects had already been implemented and some are being executed while some others are on the pipeline.

He said performance of the port greatly depends on how efficiently and lawfully the other port and shipping related private and public sectors are performing in running their businesses.

Calling upon trade bodies and stakeholders of the port and shipping sectors for running their business as per rule, the shipping secretary said formulation of a comprehensive ‘code of conduct’ for freight forwarders, clearing and forwarding agents, and shipping agents are on the process.

Congratulating the government, the BGMEA president said the introduction of such a unique centre is actually fulfilling a long-cherished dream of the country’s business community.

He said the business community particularly the readymade garments exporters have started enjoying benefit of the government’s sincere endeavor to have disciplined, efficient and pilferage-free port services.

The former CCCI president said though it is late, the centre is a timely step in this rapidly changing and competitive global trade scenario.

Dr Pervez Sajjad Akhter of the Shipping Agents Association said the government is doing its best to facilitate trade and investment, but it is time for the business community to streamline the other segments of the trade.

Port CBA Secretary Shiekh Nurullah Bahar said operations of the port had not been disrupted for a single minutes during the last two years for labour unrest and demanded special pay-scales for the port employees.