Finance
Customs Customs stations to remain open during hard lockdown
Dhaka, June 26: A hard lockdown will be observed again for seven days from Monday (June 28) due to the deteriorating coronavirus situation. All government and private offices, shops and shopping malls will be closed except emergency services. All types of vehicles except emergency goods vehicles will be closed.
No one can get out of the house without a valid emergency. A notification in this regard will be issued by the Cabinet Division on Saturday. However, all customs stations under the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will remain open even during the hard lockdown. The NBR's Customs and VAT Department will continue to provide emergency services to keep the country's overall economy afloat, including imports and exports.
On Friday (June 25), Syed A. Mumen, senior information officer of the NBR, said that all customs stations under the NBR would remain open as usual as part of the emergency services in the country. However, the stations will continue to follow the strict restrictions of the government. However, after the notification is issued, it will be decided how the customs stations will operate.
In this regard, the country's largest customs station, Chittagong Port Customs House Commissioner Md. Fakhrul Alam said, "We have been working day and night with adequate security measures since the beginning of the general holiday. This time too we are ready. However, after the official announcement, we will be given instructions from the NBR."
According to the NBR, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, general leave was also granted in 2020. At that time, the NBR instructed to keep it running on a limited scale, but some customs stations have been importing and exporting day and night. Dhaka Custom House, Kamalapur ICD Custom, Chittagong Custom House and Benapole Custom House have a little more work pressure. These stations operated in accordance with the hygiene rules. This time too the work will continue.
The length of the country's land border is about 2400 km. Of this, 92 per cent is associated with India and the remaining eight per cent with Myanmar. There are 181 small and large customs stations across the border which are under the control of the National Board of Revenue. Of these, 24 customs stations are important. Besides, there are 12 land ports in the country.
