Ctg Customs to Auction 168 Containers Online Amid Port Row

The Custom House Chattogram (CHC) will auction 168 containers of uncleared goods online this month to reduce congestion at the port. This initiative comes amid an escalating dispute between customs and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) over allegedly "missing" cargo.

According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the goods will be sold through two digital auctions. Special E-Auction No 08/2026 includes 93 containers of chemicals, machinery, and fabrics with no reserved price, allowing the highest bidders to set the value. Bidding for this batch is open from July 14 to 26. The second, E-Auction No 07/2026, features 75 containers of machinery, elevators, and salt, with bidding open from July 12 to 22.

Prospective buyers must register on the official e-auction portal and are encouraged to physically inspect the goods before bidding. A 10% security deposit is required for all bids.

The emergency auction follows a "blame game" regarding container management. Customs recently claimed 250 high-risk containers were missing. The CPA denied this, blaming incorrect data and counter-accusing customs of leaving over 9,000 containers abandoned for decades, causing storage rent losses of up to Tk10,000 crore.

The NBR stated these auctions aim to enhance port capacity and ensure transparency in disposing of long-pending cargo.