Japanese branded 70 reconditioned cars to auction at Mongla

A total of 70 Japanese different branded reconditioned cars were auctioned at Mongla Port, the second largest seaport in the country, on Monday.

Mongla Port Authority (MPA) took the auction decision as the importing agencies remained reluctant to pay customs duty and take the delivery of the vehicles within the stipulated time. Subsequently, the MPA handed the vehicles over to the customs house and it auctioned those.

The reconditions branded cars are: alien, fielder, hybrid, Prado land crusher, vessel and harrier.

MPA sources said there is a precondition of taking delivery of imported cars from car yards and other sheds within 30 days after importing and initiative is taken to sell vehicles in auction after the expiry of the time limit. 

Muhammad Makruzzaman, Deputy Director (Board and Public Relations), told BSS that import of cars has been enhanced through their port as a result of easy communication.

He said they took the initiative of selling imported vehicles through auction when the importers failed to take delivery of those within the stipulated time.

Makruzzaman said the customs house earns revenue on the one hand and the MPA gets money from shed, yard and jetty as service charges on the other hand in the auction process.

He said the arrival of commercial ships from different foreign countries to the port has increased for the last couple of weeks boosting its revenue earnings.

 At least 42 foreign commercial ships anchored at the port in the first two weeks of the new year coupled with the arrival of the container-carrying ships laden with goods.

The port has been playing a vital role in the field of import-export business of the country. Imported goods are being sent to different parts of the country easily as there are suitable route facilities for rivers, roads and railways.

At present, 18-20 commercial ships laden with coal, fertilizer, clinker, LPG and stone remain anchored at different places of the Pashur channel regularly on an average. So far, 42 ships reached the port during the period of January 1-15.
 
He also said 413 commercial ships reached the port during the first six months of the current 2024-25 financial year and 10,386 TEUs containers were unloaded.

During the same time, 10 vehicle-carrying ships with 5,637 vehicles were reached.

Import-export of 52,84,471 tonnes of goods were also done during the time earning revenues worth Taka Taka 210 crore.