The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is weighing a policy change regarding the disposal of luxury vehicles imported duty-free by former lawmakers, following the failure of an earlier auction to attract acceptable bids.

Speaking to journalists after a stakeholder meeting at Chittagong Customs House on Friday, NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan said the agency is now considering alternative avenues to prevent the undervaluation of the vehicles, which were brought in under duty-free privileges before the Awami League government was ousted.

These vehicles are valued between Tk8 and Tk9 crore each, yet bids at the last auction ranged from just Tk1 lakh to Tk3.1 crore. Such offers are not acceptable,” Khan said. “Several government agencies have proposed acquiring the vehicles at 60 percent of their value. We’re evaluating that option. Scrapping them is not on the table.”

The vehicles were imported following the 12th parliamentary election under duty-free allowances granted to MPs. However, after the fall of the Awami League government on August 6 and the dissolution of parliament, the NBR revoked the duty-free facility. As a result, many former MPs abandoned the cars at the port.

Out of the 42 imported vehicles, 24 were included in a public auction held in February. Due to the lack of competitive bids, customs authorities withheld final approvals for the sales.

Khan emphasized that any decision on the vehicles will involve consultation with higher government authorities, adding that the goal is to make meaningful use of the assets rather than letting them deteriorate at port facilities.

The NBR chairman also addressed broader port congestion issues, revealing that around 6,000 containers remain unclaimed at Chittagong Port. To address the backlog, the board has already launched an auction round and is awarding items to the highest bidders to accelerate the process.

“We’re taking steps to streamline port operations and avoid the delays that have plagued past auctions,” Khan said.

Earlier in the day, the NBR chief met with representatives from the C&F (Clearing and Forwarding) Agents Association. During the meeting, association president SM Saiful Alam and other leaders raised concerns about challenges facing import-export procedures, urging reforms to improve customs efficiency.

The developments reflect the NBR’s ongoing efforts to balance asset recovery with transparency and efficiency, as it grapples with both high-value vehicle disposal and persistent port management hurdles.