20 per cent supplementary duty on tea import

According to media reports, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has prepared a proposal to introduce 20 per cent supplementary duty in addition to 61 per cent existing duty on import of tea following the demand of the Bangladesh Tea Association and recommendation of the Commerce Ministry (MoC). It seems that NBR and MoC did not consider the interest of the consumers. The tea estates pay Tk 70 per day to each of their worker, lowest wage in Bangladesh. It is not believable that they cannot compete with tea growers abroad even after imposing 61 per cent protection duties. Is 61 per cent duty on import not enough to protect the interest of the local growers? Are they so inefficient? If the tea estates cannot compete even after 61 per cent aggregate protective duties on import, the government has to make some major decisions. The lands used by the estates have been taken as lease from the government. The government must balance between the interests of growers as well as consumers. I would like to urge the finance minister not to approve the proposal of increasing duties on tea import.
Md Ashraf Hossain
Central Bashabo, Dhaka
mah120cb@yahoo.com