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500 tonnes of Bhutanese stones stuck at Chilmari river port

2 Bangladeshi vessels arrived at the port on July 25 through the Brahmaputra river

Our Correspondent, Dinajpur
Two Bangladeshi vessels carrying 500 tonnes of Bhutanese stones have been stuck at Chilmari river port in Kurigram for more than two weeks as the customs authorities refused to let those sail further ahead, citing legal constraints.
The boats arrived at the port on July 25 through the Brahmaputra river, and are supposed to dock at Narayanganj port for unloading.
The importers said they followed due procedure in using the waterway.
The stones were imported after Bangladesh and Bhutan signed a waterway protocol recently. The first waterway load under the instrument came to Bangladesh through the same route on July 18.
The stones were transported by truck from landlocked Bhutan to Assam, from where the vessels received the cargo and sailed back to Bangladesh.
Importer Nasir Khan said he was told that Chilmari River Port was not authorised yet for passing imports from a third country like Bhutan.
He said they followed all rules before sailing for Assam. "If we violated the rules, why did the customs permit the vessels to go to Assam and receive the consignment?"
The vessels left Chilmari port on July 13 after getting approval from Mizanul Haque, a customs official in Kurigram, he said.
The Daily Star tried to contract the official but his phone was switched off.
Nasir claimed that they also took permission from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
“I opened an LC (letter of credit) for importing the stones, and the customs authorities are aware of everything,” he
said. "Why didn't they tell me anything before?"
The market price of the imported stones is Tk 30 lakh, Nasir said. "I'm incurring a loss ofTk 30,000 daily for the delay."
Contacted, Aktar Hossen, second secretary (import and agreement) of Customs in Rangpur, said the goods from third countries like Bhutan can be imported through Burimari (Lalmonirhat) and Banglabandha (Panchagarh) land ports.
But the existing law does not permit any import through Chilmari River Port, he told The Daily Star. The river port lacks manpower and infrastructure, he added.
The official, however, did not answer when asked why the vessels were allowed to sail for Assam in the first place. "We are looking into it," he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said no cargo vessel from Bhutan is permitted through Chilmari port.
"In absence of permission, there is a legal bar in assessing tax and duties of imported goods and give clearance," he said, seeking anonymity.
The official said Chilmari port was mentioned in the waterway protocol but its infrastructure is not ready yet. That's why this port was not included as a point of entry in a notification NBR issued recently, he said.
"The importers brought cargo through this route without prior discussion. Now we have taken an initiative to give special permission for the vessels."
NBR has submitted a proposal to the finance minister for special permission and amendment of the notification, the official said. "We will take necessary measures after getting the approval."