Clearing and forwarding agents at the Chittagong Customs House yesterday observed a day-long work abstention to press home their six-point demand overvaluation of goods.

As a result, duty assessment of import and export goods and other procedures related to container handling came to a halt.

No revenue could be deposited to the government exchequer due to the work abstention, customs officials said. On a regular workday, Tk 70-90 crore is deposited, according to the officials.

Only 1,816 bills of entry and export were submitted online by the C&F agents, but no assessment could be processed due to the stalemate, said Mahmudul Hasan, deputy commissioner of the Chittagong Customs House.

Chittagong C&F Agents Association started the movement four days ago to protest the practice of randomly valuing goods by Chittagong customs officials, which are in violation of customs valuation rules.

Harassment of C&F agents by customs officials, damaging goods in the name of physical examination and punishment to an association leader for his protest against alleged cor-

ruption by officials, were the association's some other gripes.

On the other hand, customs officials claim the streamlining of the customs procedure

introduced by the current regime to prevent irregularities in import and export activities, rubbed the association leaders the wrong way. The association leaders are now demanding resignation or transfer of Chittagong Customs House Commissioner Maruful Islam.

Islam, however, denies all the allegations made against him and the administration.

He called a meeting for 10am yesterday with the C&F leaders, but they refused to join.

Three NBR members from Dhaka will join a meeting with customs officials and C&F agents in the port city today to end the deadlock.

Meanwhile, over 20 officials of the Chittagong Customs House signed a letter off two days ago to the National Board of Revenue chairman in support of Islam. They also asked the NBR chairman in the letter to transfer them as well if Islam would have to be transferred from the Chittagong Customs.

The commissioner asked for dialogue in the morning with the agitating C&F agents following request from Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and Awami League lawmaker MA Latif, but the leaders did not respond until the afternoon.

When contacted, the association's joint secretary, Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, said they could not sit with the Customs Commissioner only as they are in movement against him. C&F Agents Association leaders, however, met with CCCI leaders and other stakeholders to garner support for their movement.

But all urged the association not to take any programme that could deepen the stalemate at the port.

The agitating C&F agents went ahead with the work abstention, which continued from 9am to 5pm.

Stakeholders fear that if the stalemate continues it would seriously hamper delivery of imports and loading of exports.

Nasiruddin Chowdhury, first vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, issued a statement yesterday expressing his deep concern over the standoff.

He fears the stalemate would have a negative impact on the country's readymade garment sector, and urged all to solve the problem immediately