Clearing and forwarding agents have announced a two-day strike for 30-31 January at all customs stations in the country, including the Chattogram Custom House, to press home their various demands, such as amending customs agent licensing rules.

According to the Chattogram Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, the C&F agents have been demanding the cancellation of the "controversial" rules on determining the HS code and CPC of products during customs clearance.

Led by the Federation of Bangladesh Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, the members of all C&F agents associations in the country have been agitating for a long time, but the customs authorities have not taken any action on these claims, said Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, general secretary of the Chattogram Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association.

If these demands are not met by 28 January, a simultaneous work abstention will be observed in all customs houses and customs stations in the country on 30 and 31 January, he added, saying the federation will hold a press conference on 29 January regarding the movement.

Bilu told The Business Standard, "We have staged protests several times, demanding changes to the customs licensing rules. Our proposal has also been sent to the National Board of Revenue. But the NBR does not think it necessary to know why and on what demands we are agitating."

The Chattogram C&F agents association has informed all the C&F agents about the strike in a notice issued on 24 January. The members were invited to participate in the strike to protect the interests of the C&F agents working in all the customs houses and customs stations across the country.

There are 10,000 C&F agents in 42 customs stations across the country. Among them, 3,000 work in the Chattogram Custom House. Around 7,000 bills of entry and export are submitted daily at the Chattogram Custom House. Of them, 2,000 are for imports, while the remaining 5,000 are for exports.

customs / Chattogram Customs Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agent Association / C&F agents / strike

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