Stringent system for importing plastic raw materials to be eased

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FE Report
Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR) Muhammad Abdul Mazid Sunday said that the existing stringent system for importing raw materials for plastic goods manufacturing industry will be relaxed in phases.
The NBR chairman was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day long workshop on the development of the packaging industry in Bangladesh as special guest.
Bangladesh Corrugated Carton and Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BCCAMA) in collaboration with International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) organised the workshop at a city hotel, financed by a European Union project 'Bangladesh Quality Support Programme (BQSP)'.
Earlier, the government in the national budget placed for fiscal 2007-08, made it mandatory to mark bags containing plastic raw materials with the inscriptions 'Imported under bond, not for sale' in red applying the punching method.
The government imposed the order after it received allegations of misuse of plastic raw materials imported under bond facility.
"We know it was an unfortunate matter, but we did not have any other option to restrict the import of plastic raw materials in the wake of its misuses," NBR chief added claiming that the situation had improved now.
He admitted that no industry can grow naturally if any obstruction is created on its raw material import.
Addressing as chief guest, Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said there have been changes in the traditional seminars and symposiums after 1/11 that reflected the changes in the political arena.
"Earlier, the seminars were mostly generalised in nature, now we are seeing seminars on specific issues related to problems of the industrial sector," Commerce Adviser added.
He said: "This is a good sign for our industry as we are now focusing on specific issues which will definitely take us one step forward."
Commerce Adviser said the packaging industry has gained maturity and expressed the hope it will grow further.
"Currently the packaging industry is contributing over US$ 1.0 billion to the national exchequer, we expect it will grow commensurately with the growth rate of the RMG," he added.
He also said the government will convert Textile College at Tejgaon into a full fledged university to meet the growing demand for professionals in the textile sector.
"The demand for setting up of packaging industry is time befitting and there is an urgent need for such institutions to make the industry more competitive" saying the packaging is not a separate thing rather it is an integral part of the export sector.
"Our packaging industry now has come of age, so to be an independent sector, its needs institution to produce skilled manpower," he added.
BCCAMEA president Safiullah Chowdhury, FBCCI president Annisul Huq, national project coordinator of the ITC M Mofizur Rahman and others spoke at the inaugural session.