Govt mulls cut in Ctg Port scanning fees
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Doulot Akter Mala
The government is contemplating a cut in scanning fees at Chittagong Port on requests from importers and exporters, who claimed that the exorbitant charges were hindering their competitiveness in the global market.
The government might reduce the fees by 50 per cent from the existing US$ 5.0 and $2.5 per FCL (full container load) and LCL (light container load) respectively.
"The rates will be reduced following requests from the exporters as the revenue board wants to make sure any measures imposed are business-friendly," said a senior official of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
To what extent the rates would be reduced was being worked out, he added.
On complaints from exporters about the charges, the NBR held a meeting with the apex body of readymade garment exporters to discuss the way out.
In the meeting, the NBR sought proposals from the exporters on how to reduce the fees.
However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) proposed a cut in the rates to $2.0 and $1.0 per FCL and LCL container respectively.
It also requested the NBR to issue a scanning certificate with each container, which the exporters would show to the foreign buyers. The apparel exporters also expressed their desire to use the certificate as a substitute for the CT-PAT (customs trade-partnership against terrorism) report.
The revenue board said that before imposition of the scanning service charge, the exporters had to spend it in other countries like Sri Lanka and Singapore.
A senior customs official said: "The government has installed the scanner machine to reduce the hassle and time of an export to the US and EU markets, the two largest destinations of our exports, where scanning of each container is mandatory before shipment."
The local exporters earlier had to seek the help of a port in Colombo or Singapore for scanning the containers before shipment as the machine was not available at Chittagong Port, he said.
The government is contemplating a cut in scanning fees at Chittagong Port on requests from importers and exporters, who claimed that the exorbitant charges were hindering their competitiveness in the global market.
The government might reduce the fees by 50 per cent from the existing US$ 5.0 and $2.5 per FCL (full container load) and LCL (light container load) respectively.
"The rates will be reduced following requests from the exporters as the revenue board wants to make sure any measures imposed are business-friendly," said a senior official of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
To what extent the rates would be reduced was being worked out, he added.
On complaints from exporters about the charges, the NBR held a meeting with the apex body of readymade garment exporters to discuss the way out.
In the meeting, the NBR sought proposals from the exporters on how to reduce the fees.
However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) proposed a cut in the rates to $2.0 and $1.0 per FCL and LCL container respectively.
It also requested the NBR to issue a scanning certificate with each container, which the exporters would show to the foreign buyers. The apparel exporters also expressed their desire to use the certificate as a substitute for the CT-PAT (customs trade-partnership against terrorism) report.
The revenue board said that before imposition of the scanning service charge, the exporters had to spend it in other countries like Sri Lanka and Singapore.
A senior customs official said: "The government has installed the scanner machine to reduce the hassle and time of an export to the US and EU markets, the two largest destinations of our exports, where scanning of each container is mandatory before shipment."
The local exporters earlier had to seek the help of a port in Colombo or Singapore for scanning the containers before shipment as the machine was not available at Chittagong Port, he said.