Buyers prefer Delhi airport as higher tariff make Dhaka unattractive

Rtv news

31 May 2024, 14:00

As India offered lower tariff, International clothing retailers and brands sourcing from Bangladesh prefer the Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to carry goods.

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The tariff at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh is so high and for that reason the buyers from Bangladesh choose their goods to travel a distance of nearly 1,900 kilometres in trucks to Delhi via Benapole and Petrapole port.

It costs only $1.2 to transport one kilogramme of readymade garments items to sent via Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. On the other hand, it charges $3 from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to destinations in Europe.

The higher rate of tariffs including value-added tax, ground handling and service charges are mainly driving the buyers away from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

A data from the civil aviation and tourism ministry said, in July-March, an entirety of 1,65,000 tonnes of cargoes were shipped from Dhaka of the current fiscal year, Of them, the garment items were 1,34,000 tonnes, vegetables, fruits and other items were 30,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, in 2022-23, about 1,67,000 tonnes of cargoes were sent abroad via the airport. Of them it includes, 142,000 tonnes of garment products including 24,000 tonnes of fruits, vegetables, and allied food items.

An aviation expert named Kazi Wahidul Alam said that more than 8,000 tonnes of cargoes, especially those containing garment items, were diverted from Dhaka to Delhi last year only for higher tariffs to carry goods.

"The volume is higher this year as buyers are increasingly finding Delhi airport more competitive for their business, 50 tonnes of cargoes are redirected from Dhaka to Delhi every day on average." he added,

For the higher charges, local airlines including freight forwarders, courier companies and many other related sectors are losing their business.

Eight private airlines who tried to do business on the domestic routes of Bangladesh could not become competitive because of higher tariffs, Wahidul Alam said.

The users have a long complain about thefts of goods from the cargo, products left unattended, and the deterioration of the quality of items as well.

Tow leading aircraft company Qatar and Etihad used to carry cargoes from Dhaka in dedicated flights even a few years ago. But now, the companies have either suspended their flights or reduced their capacity to carry cargoes.

Nearly, 60 percent of all cargoes transported by air from Bangladesh are carried by passenger aircraft.

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