Bangladesh has formulated its customs rules to facilitate the movement of Indian goods through its territory to northeast India and other countries under the transit and transshipment deal signed by New Delhi and Dhaka.    

The Customs Transit and Transhipment Rules 2021,  drawn up by the National Board of Revenue, aims to bring the transportation of transit or transshipment goods under a specific guideline and proper authority.

The rules will be effective soon, said the NBR in a gazette notification.

As per rules, the tenure of the transit or transshipment will be seven days from the moment Indian goods leave the port of entry in Bangladesh.

In case of failure to carry out the transit or transshipment, the authorized person will have to submit a written application to the customs authorities within the stipulated time, explaining the delay.

The NBR will appoint a customs commissioner as the national transit or transshipment coordinator, who will resolve queries and proposals related to transit and transshipment and coordinate with other agencies, The Daily Star reported.

Provision has been made for the physical inspection of the consignment by the customs authorities if there is information about illegal goods in the imported consignment.

The rules will act as the guiding principle for the transportation of transit and transshipment goods, an official said.

The customs office at the entry port will scan the transit and transshipment goods, and if it suspects any wrongdoing, the officials can examine the goods.

Besides, any shipment can be selected for a physical examination based on intelligence information.

Dhaka and Delhi signed a memorandum of understanding on the use of the Chattogram and Mongla ports in 2015, following years of persuasion from India.

The two sides penned an agreement in 2018 and finalized a standard operating procedure during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India in 2019.

Goods reaching Chattogram and Mongla seaports would be carried by four road, rail, and water routes to Agartala (Tripura) via Akhaura; Dawki (Meghalaya) via Tamabil; Sutarkandi (Assam) via Sheola; and Srimantpur (Tripura) via Bibirbazar.

(SAM)