Flat rate duty on import of mobile sets demanded
Sunday, 23 May 2010
FE Report
Mobile phone importers Saturday urged the government to charge a flat rate of Tk 100 against import of each mobile phone set, a measure that would discourage smuggling and bring down the retail price.
Addressing a roundtable discussion on pre-budget proposals on mobile phones, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Post and Telecommunications Ministry Hasanul Huq Inu MP agreed with the importers saying that the government should impose a flat rate duty or make it totally duty-free.
The roundtable discussion was organised by Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association (BMPIA) in the city.
BMPIA acting president Mustafa Rafiqul Islam said that a substantial number of mobile phone sets are being smuggled in the country costing the natural exchequer a large sum of money being repatriated illegally (hundi).
The customs duty on import of mobile phone set is 12 per cent now.
Former caretaker adviser Dr Mirza Aziz, UNDP assistant director Kazi Morshed, former Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Saiful Islam, second secretary (VAT) of National Board of Revenue Zakir Hossain also spoke on the occasion.
Mobile phone importers Saturday urged the government to charge a flat rate of Tk 100 against import of each mobile phone set, a measure that would discourage smuggling and bring down the retail price.
Addressing a roundtable discussion on pre-budget proposals on mobile phones, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Post and Telecommunications Ministry Hasanul Huq Inu MP agreed with the importers saying that the government should impose a flat rate duty or make it totally duty-free.
The roundtable discussion was organised by Bangladesh Mobile Phone Importers Association (BMPIA) in the city.
BMPIA acting president Mustafa Rafiqul Islam said that a substantial number of mobile phone sets are being smuggled in the country costing the natural exchequer a large sum of money being repatriated illegally (hundi).
The customs duty on import of mobile phone set is 12 per cent now.
Former caretaker adviser Dr Mirza Aziz, UNDP assistant director Kazi Morshed, former Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Saiful Islam, second secretary (VAT) of National Board of Revenue Zakir Hossain also spoke on the occasion.