NBR chair, Shipping secretary meet trade body leaders

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Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR) Golam Hossain addressing an exchange of views meeting organised by Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) at Chittagong Custom House in the port city Sunday. President of CCCI Murshed Murad Ibrahim

Our Correspondent CHITTAGONG, Jan 6: The businesses of Chittagong today held a meeting with two secretaries to the government to discuss problems relating to export, import and other issues including the recent BICDA-BGMEA deadlock over labour charge on export cargo. The opinion exchange meeting of the trade bodies with NBR chairman and Shipping secretary was held at the Chittagong Custom House conference hall in the city on Sunday morning. President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Murshed Murad Ibrahim presided over the meeting. NBR Chairman Md Golam Hossain suggested fixing labour charges of export cartons handled by inland container depots through negotiations among all stakeholders and the port and customs authority. Hossain said the government cannot directly meddle in matters of businesses as it works as facilitator, not controller of the private sector business. "A convening committee headed by CCCI president with all stakeholders and the representatives of concerned government bodies like Chittagong Custom House and Port Authority may be formed soon to fix the labour charge through discussion," he said. Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Syed Monjurul Islam also put emphasis on the coordination of exporters, importers, Port, Customs and private sector enterprises to enhance economic growth. He said that country's export growth should be further enhanced through efficiency and capacity building of the country's prime maritime Port of Chittagong thereby acquiring a competitive edge over the neighbouring countries. The CCCI President said the government has taken many pro-industry and pro-business steps which have resulted in the anticipated growth of country's overall macro-economic scenario and created an atmosphere for greater investment by entrepreneurs from home and abroad. "Bangladesh has now become the centre of attraction for investment and the foreigners have expressed eagerness to relocate some of their industries from other countries. This has been possible only because of an investment-friendly atmosphere prevailing in the country," he said. FBCCI director MA Salam termed the off-docks an extended areas of the Chittagong Port and said that the labour charges for handling export cartons in the inland container depots should be fixed accordingly. BGMEA first vice president Nasir Uddin Chowdhury informed the meeting that un-stuffing charges of 20 foot and 40 foot container in the port are Tk 1400 and Tk 1800 respectively while the same charge in the off-docks has been increased to Tk 30,000, which is illogical and unacceptable. The meeting was attended by representatives of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, BKMEA, C&F Agents Association, Shipping Agents Association, Commissioner of Chittagong Custom House Masud Sadiq, Commissioner (Vat) Md Jalal Hossain, Income Tax Commissioner Dabir Uddin, Chittagong Port Authority Member (admin and traffic) Md Nazrul Islam. SM Nurul Hoque, director, SAARC Chamber, Captain Quamrul Islam Majumder of Summit Alliance Port, Nasiruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of Bangladesh Shippers Council, SM Shafi, chairman of Shafi Motors Ltd, Md Mahbubuzzaman, additional customs commissioner were present at the meeting.