Ctg Customs destroys 5 containers of expired, unauctionable goods to ease port congestion
The destroyed consignments had remained stranded at Chattogram Port for years after failing to secure mandatory BSTI clearance, making them ineligible for auction under customs rules.
The Custom House, Chattogram (CHC) today (6 July) destroyed around 91 tonnes of expired and unauctionable energy drinks and shampoo imported in five containers that had remained stranded at Chattogram Port for years, as authorities stepped up efforts to free valuable container yard space occupied by abandoned cargo.
The products had been declared unsuitable for import after failing to obtain mandatory clearance from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), making them ineligible for auction under customs rules, according to customs officials.
The destruction operation began around 9am at the Customs Auction Shed, following a decision by the National Board of Revenue (NBR)-mandated destruction committee taken at its meeting on 23 July.
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According to customs officials, the consignment included 83.7 tonnes of Royal Tiger Energy Drinks imported by Globe Soft Drinks Limited in 2019 and 4.4 tonnes of shampoo imported by Mak Point in 2022.
The energy drinks remained stuck at the port for nearly seven years after failing to secure BSTI approval, while the shampoo consignment remained abandoned for about four years for the same reason.
Since neither shipment obtained the required regulatory clearance, both were declared unauctionable and unsuitable for public use. Customs officials said the products were eventually classified as harmful to public health, substandard or otherwise unfit for distribution.
The destruction was carried out with the assistance of KM Corporation, the company responsible for managing customs auctions.
CHC Assistant Commissioner (Auction) Russell Ahmed told The Business Standard that the products were being crushed using heavy machinery before being disposed of.
"The products are being crushed with bulldozers at the auction yard and will later be washed away with water," he said.
Part of a broader initiative
Customs officials said the operation forms part of a broader initiative to remove unusable cargo that has occupied valuable yard space for years and contributed to chronic congestion at Bangladesh's busiest seaport.
CHC Assistant Commissioner (Preventive) and Spokesperson Sharif Mohammad Al Amin said the Custom House has accelerated both the auction of saleable goods and the destruction of consignments that cannot legally be sold.
"Following NBR instructions, we are speeding up the disposal of abandoned cargo. Alongside auctioning saleable goods, we have started destroying consignments that are legally ineligible for auction. The five containers destroyed today are part of that process," he said.
The move comes as Chattogram Port continues to struggle with a large volume of long-staying cargo.
According to Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) data, 9,330 TEUs of containers remained stranded at the port as of 30 June this year, occupying around 22% of the yard.
The port also holds 124,799 packages of less-than-container-load cargo, 6,792 packages of bulk cargo, and 775 packages of hazardous chemicals, with some consignments remaining at the port for more than two decades.
Port users say the accumulation of unauctionable cargo has become one of the biggest operational challenges for Chattogram Port, as legal complications and the absence of a permanent destruction facility often delay the disposal of unusable goods for years.
They argue that customs should establish a dedicated disposal facility to ensure abandoned and hazardous cargo can be destroyed promptly instead of occupying scarce port space.
Business leaders, freight forwarders and clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents also blame prolonged customs procedures, valuation disputes, excessive documentation requirements, lengthy legal proceedings and delays in auctioning abandoned goods for the growing backlog.
Lengthy process
Sharif rejected suggestions that customs could simply auction all long-staying containers. "As of December 2025, around 5,630 containers were legally eligible for auction.
"Between 2025 and 15 July 2026, customs auctioned goods from 1,098 containers, destroyed goods from 54 containers and initiated destruction procedures for another 132 containers," he said.
"Not every container lying at the port is legally auctionable. Many consignments remain tied up in court cases, writ petitions, investigations, valuation disputes and other legal processes. We cannot dispose of those containers until the legal process is completed."
He said customs must complete a series of statutory procedures, including issuing notices, preparing inventories, conducting valuations, obtaining clearances from relevant agencies, and completing e-auction formalities before any abandoned cargo can be auctioned or destroyed.
Under the Customs Act, importers are required to clear imported goods within 30 days of discharge from a vessel. If the cargo remains uncleared, customs issues a notice, and the goods become eligible for auction after another 15 days.
Although the law allows disposal within 45 days, officials acknowledge that the timeline has not been consistently enforced over the years, contributing to the growing stockpile of abandoned cargo.
Uncleared containers, particularly those carrying perishable goods, continue to create operational difficulties for both the port and shipping lines. Refrigerated containers require uninterrupted electricity even after being abandoned, increasing operating costs while occupying valuable yard space needed for regular import and export operations.
