After suffering for 68 years the businessmen and the port users of Mongla have been able to fulfill their demand of shifting the customs house from Khulna to Mongla. Since the establishment of the port all the official paperwork was processed at Khulna. Recently, after the new fiscal year started the customs house at Mongla has started to function properly. Prior to this the preliminary work of shifting the customs house from Khulna to Mongla began on January 20 of this year.
From now on, all the official procedures of taxing and other processes of paper work can be done by the businessmen and port users at Mongla customs house. Through this relocation much of the time that was wasted can be utilized properly by the businessmen. Also, the amount of exported and imported goods will also substantially increase due to the customs house being right where the shipments arrive.
Sources in the port authority say that Mongla Sea Port’s customs works had started in December 1, 1950 under the name of Chalona Port. Since the beginning, all the works were being done at Khalishpur in Khulna at the Mongla Customs House. Since then businessmen had to travel from Mongla to Khulna a number of times to get their goods released from the port. After finishing that they again had to travel to Khulna to get the customs clearance. Later on, the papers again had to be submitted to the concerned officials coming back to Mongla port.
The distance between Mongla port and the previous customs house was nearly 58 kilometers which made the commute between these two places for business quite a hassle to get release for the shipments. Facing such predicaments the businessmen and port users have long been demanding for a customs house to be opened at Mongla.
Regarding this the mayor of Mongla City Corporation Md Julfikar Ali says that the decision to relocate the customs house to Mongla has been taken to reduce the sufferings of people. On top of that, new branches of banks will be opened in the port vicinity for ease of monetary transaction. In all, businessmen will be very much benefitted through this relocation.
