\\\'Bureaucratic tangles hinder atar export\\\'

Export of agar atar, a new potential exportable item, has remained suspended for last three months due to some procedural complexities, putting shipment target this fiscal year at risk, sector insiders said.
They said delay in issuing export certificates, difficulties in sending sample of the product abroad and participation of 'fake' businessmen in the auction process of agar trees have been seriously hampering atar export to Middle East countries.
The country exported atar worth Tk 20 million in the fiscal year (FY) 2014-15. But to date of the current fiscal year (FY) 2015-16, the volume of atar export was only 20 per cent of the total target of Tk 30 million, they added.
"We have been facing difficulties in exporting atar due to bureaucratic tangles. Atar export has been halted over last three months. We might not achieve our export target this year due to these reasons," Md Ansarul Hoque, President of Bangladesh Agar and Atar Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BAAMEA), told the FE on Sunday.  
He said they had to wait 20 to 25 days even one month for getting export certificates from the office of Chief Controller of Imports and Exports against usual time of seven working days.
The country exports agar atar to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand.
Under its 'one district one product' scheme, the government has taken initiatives to boost the export of agar atar. Though the sector has been declared as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), but it is yet to get proper patronization.  
Agar wood and atar industry is now flourishing in Moulvibazar because of some geographical advantages there.  
However, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), which is under the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), will sit tomorrow (Tuesday) with the government agencies and stakeholders to resolve the problems for increasing agar atar export.
"We have identified some problems including transport permit (TP) for transporting raw materials of agar products and the delay in issuing certificates for exporting agar atar products," a director of the EPB told the FE on Sunday, preferring anonymity.  
He said they would send the recommendations to the government for resolving the problems.
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