Imported goods were not released from those points because of the work stoppage to protest the arrest and 'harassment' of customs officials on tax evasion charges.

Businesses, those especially dealing with release of imported goods, were seriously hampered following the complete stoppage of activities by tax officials at the L/C stations and the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

However, the Chittagong Customs House was partially operational.

"We are trying to restore normalcy," said NBR acting Chairman Tazammul Ali Chowdhury while talking to The Daily Star yesterday. He, however, declined to elaborate.

The customs and VAT officials in a series of protest meetings yesterday asked the government to meet their five-point demand, including steps against 'harassment' of tax officials and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

Apart from holding the meetings, the customs officials brought out a procession and organised a gathering on the Dhaka Customs House premises.

They formed a five-member 'Samannaya Parishad' with NBR Member Manzur Mannan as its convenor to realise their demands. The Parishad leaders are likely to meet Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman today, sources said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Customs Excise and VAT Executive Officers Association at a meeting called a non-stop strike from today at the Dhaka Customs House and ICD until their demands were met.

The other demands are termination of the Bureau of Anti-corruption (BAC) Inspector Farid Ahmad Patwary who filed the case against the customs officials, empowering the NBR to investigate fake documents and enactment of law against the importers and clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents for submitting fake documents.

"We would not work until and unless the five-point demand was met by the government," a leader of the Bangladesh (BCS) Customs Association told The Daily Star, preferring anonymity.

During a visit to the ICD at Kamalapur yesterday, it was found that all import-related works like assessment and examination of goods, preparation of documents and release of imported goods were not done in absence of customs officials.

Most ICD officials were busy with the meetings at the NBR all day long. The C&F agents were seen pleading with the staff for assessment and release of imported goods.

However, activities related to exports took place to some extent at the ICD.

Three customs officials arrested on Tuesday last following corruption cases filed by BAC were released from jail on Thursday. BAC filed the cases against 12 customs officials for their alleged involvement in evading Tk 95 lakh in customs duty.

Tax officials said the allegations by BAC were not based on any evidence or investigation.