200,000 eggs are stuck in Benapole due to customs complications

A truck loaded with 231,000 chicken eggs has been stuck at Benapole land port for two days. Shipment of goods is stuck due to customs complications. The importer blamed the arbitrariness of Benapole Customs Commissioner Kamruzzaman for this.

Anwar Hossain, the owner of importing company Hydroland Solutions, said that the Ministry of Finance has reduced the tariff rate from 33 percent to 13 percent in the case of egg import. The gazette was published on October 17. But the customs officials asked the importer to pay the duty as per previous rules. Meanwhile, because the shipment of eggs is stuck, they have to pay a fee of five thousand taka per day.
When asked about this, Benapole Customs Commissioner Kamruzzaman said, "I was not informed about the complications of customs clearance by the importer, C&F agent or any customs officer. We have decided to release the shipment according to the new gazette. According to Benapole port and customs house sources, last Saturday (October 19) night, an importing company named Hydroland Solutions of Dhaka imported 231 thousand 840 eggs from India through Benapole port. .
The importing company submitted the shipment documents to the cargo branch of the port on Sunday, October 30. But after the Benapole Customs Authority issued a written order to pay the duty at the previous rate of 33 percent, the importer stopped the customs clearance. The importer unsuccessfully tried to contact the commissioner for payment of duty as per the new gazette. Due to which the shipment of goods is stuck at the port due to customs complications.
Meanwhile, the price of eggs suddenly increased a few days ago due to shortage in the supply of eggs in the market. In different markets including Sharsha Upazila of Jessore, the price of eggs per dozen increased to Tk 190 to Tk 200. However, prices started to fall from Friday.

According to importer sources, the import price of each egg including customs duty was 9 taka 97 paisa. According to the new gazette, which will cost 8 taka 47 paisa. Added to this will be the cost of transportation, labor and wastage. All in all, each egg will cost about 10 and a half taka to reach Dhaka. Each egg will be sold wholesale adding a profit of 20 to 30 paisa.
According to customs house sources, in the current financial year 2023-24, from September 8 to October 19, quarter million eggs were imported through Benapole port. Only one company imported these eggs. Apart from this, some other institutions have been given permission to import by the government, but these institutions have not yet imported eggs.
Meanwhile, the exporter of the consignment of stuck eggs is Kolkata-based Shree Lakshmi Enterprises. C&F agent Ratul Enterprises filed the necessary documents with the Custom House for clearance of the consignment of eggs on behalf of the importer.