KARACHI: Mr. Mehmood ul Hasan Awan, General Secretary of the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), announced through a press release that for the first time in the history of KCAA, a virtual meeting was held at the KCAA Head Office on July 27, 2024, between the Karachi Customs Agents Association and the Chattogram Customs Agents Association. This meeting was attended by representatives from the Chattogram Customs Agents Association, including Mr. Quazi Mahmud Imam (Bilu), General Secretary, Mr. Md. Altaf Hossain Chowdhury (Bachchu), 1st Vice President, and Mr. Mohammad Saifuddin, Finance Secretary.
During the meeting, rules and regulations were shared by the Chattogram Customs Agents Association:
International best practices are being adopted, and upfront payment of customs duties and taxes is not required at the time of filing Goods Declarations. Approximately 80% of customs clearance is conducted through Green and Yellow channels, with only 20% of consignments requiring inspection. In the meeting, it was also informed by the Chattogram Customs Agents Association that shipping companies and freight forwarders are providing better services due to the existence of shipping laws and regulations. The Customs Act has been updated in 2023, replacing the 1969 version.
In the meeting, both associations agreed on the following points for joint cooperation to streamline processes and rectify malpractices in our industry:
Regional Cooperative Body: The KCAA proposed the creation of a regional cooperative body, similar to SAARC, for mutual development. It was also decided that other SAARC members will also be consulted.
It was mutually agreed by the both Associations to form a WhatsApp group to share recent developments.
General Secretary Mr. Mehmood ul Hasan Awan congratulated the Chattogram Customs Agents Association on their 50th Anniversary, wherein CCAA also invited the KCAA delegation to celebrate their 50-year milestone in October 2024. It was also assured that both associations will work together to facilitate trade between our countries in the future.