Courier service cos to have legal framework
Friday, 25 December 2009
Sonia H Moni
The courier service companies are going to have legal framework to run their business in the country with an amendment to the Postal Act 1898, said Director General of Postal Department Mobasherur Rahman.
The government has taken the move aiming at legally allowing courier service companies to do the business in the country as section four of the Postal Act 1898 allows only state-run post offices to do the same.
Mr Rahman said, "The government thinks that the courier service companies should be allowed to have a law under section four as per the demand of new era."
"As per section four of the act, exclusive privilege of conveying letters is reserved for the government and no other entity can carry letters."
But now courier service companies will be able to carry letters on legal basis after the amendment to section four which is expected to be done in parliament in January next.
"It is a piece of good news for the courier service companies as their trade will be legalised as well as a regulatory commission or board will be formed by government after the amendment to the section four is made."
The regulatory commission will monitor activities of the courier service companies including their licencing procedure, he said.
It will help to create a healthy business environment which will develop the courier service business and it will also control the mushrooming growth of courier services.
Meanwhile, expressing concern about the amendment, General Secretary of Courier Service Association of Bangladesh (CSAB) Hafizur Rahman said, "The government is thinking about the amendment to the section four but we are in the dark."
"We have been continuously speaking about the necessity of a regulatory body for the last five years and have put forward a proposal of regulatory body including two members of CSAB, DG of Postal Department, two FBCCI members and one member each from commerce and law ministry."
"We also proposed that the regulatory committee should be lead by a secretary and not by DG of Postal Department as the department and courier service are competitors," he said.
"We appreciate the step of government. We have been providing our services successfully to the people of Bangladesh since 1983 and now our work will be easier and on a legal basis."
He said, "Our association has already talked to the commerce ministry and they have told us that our proposal is logical."
We have more than 40 members in our association but around 100 courier service companies are doing business across the country.
The courier service companies are going to have legal framework to run their business in the country with an amendment to the Postal Act 1898, said Director General of Postal Department Mobasherur Rahman.
The government has taken the move aiming at legally allowing courier service companies to do the business in the country as section four of the Postal Act 1898 allows only state-run post offices to do the same.
Mr Rahman said, "The government thinks that the courier service companies should be allowed to have a law under section four as per the demand of new era."
"As per section four of the act, exclusive privilege of conveying letters is reserved for the government and no other entity can carry letters."
But now courier service companies will be able to carry letters on legal basis after the amendment to section four which is expected to be done in parliament in January next.
"It is a piece of good news for the courier service companies as their trade will be legalised as well as a regulatory commission or board will be formed by government after the amendment to the section four is made."
The regulatory commission will monitor activities of the courier service companies including their licencing procedure, he said.
It will help to create a healthy business environment which will develop the courier service business and it will also control the mushrooming growth of courier services.
Meanwhile, expressing concern about the amendment, General Secretary of Courier Service Association of Bangladesh (CSAB) Hafizur Rahman said, "The government is thinking about the amendment to the section four but we are in the dark."
"We have been continuously speaking about the necessity of a regulatory body for the last five years and have put forward a proposal of regulatory body including two members of CSAB, DG of Postal Department, two FBCCI members and one member each from commerce and law ministry."
"We also proposed that the regulatory committee should be lead by a secretary and not by DG of Postal Department as the department and courier service are competitors," he said.
"We appreciate the step of government. We have been providing our services successfully to the people of Bangladesh since 1983 and now our work will be easier and on a legal basis."
He said, "Our association has already talked to the commerce ministry and they have told us that our proposal is logical."
We have more than 40 members in our association but around 100 courier service companies are doing business across the country.