Business-friendly car import policy demanded

---

FE Report
BARVIDA urged the government to introduce a business-friendly policy for car import, saying it will stop all misunderstanding between the importers and the government, and ensure competitive prices for the old cars.
Leaders of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) made the demand at a press conference at a city hotel Saturday.
They also said news published regarding delivery of 658 old vehicles without paying import duty worth Tk 4.0 million was completely baseless and fabricated.
"Our fellow car importers paid all import duty and other charges before releasing their cars, and no tax evasion occurred while taking delivery of the cars," BARVIDA president Abdul Hoque said.
They also said importers have been facing 'price discriminations' due to the newly-introduced SRO (statutory regulatory order) bearing 170-2008. They claimed that importers facing price discrimination ranging between Tk 40,000 and Tk 70,000 following the new SRO for taking delivery of each car.
They argued that the prices of old cars of same models would be equal if the customs authority valuates on the basis of the old SRO bearing 141-2007, adding it will eliminate all discriminations and ensure healthy competition.
The commerce ministry on July 30 issued a circular allowing import of six-year-old utilised or reconditioned automobiles instead of earlier four-year-old vehicles, withdrawing limitation of engine-capacity.