Inadvertent omission costs rawhide importers dearly
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Doulot Akter Mala
Importers have been facing difficulties following the government's 'inadvertent' omission of Bibir Bazar land customs station as an authorised route for importing rawhide, situated in Comilla.
In the current fiscal, the government imposed restrictions on import of a number of products, which were allowed since 1997, through Bibir Bazar land customs (LC).
NBR officials admitted that the name of Bibir Bazar LC station was accidentally omitted as an authorised route for importing rawhide in the current fiscal.
The NBR official said: "It was not an intentional mistake. It could be clarified through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO)."
Leather importers alleged that eight months of current fiscal has already clasped without any amendment to the order that has been posing a threat to the industry.
Importers said the import costs of rawhide and skins through Bibir Bazar is comparatively much lower than that imported through LC stations at Tamabil and Benapole.
"It is comparatively cheaper to import rawhide through Bibir Bazaar. It is adjacent to Tripura and Asam where the item is available abundantly," Raw Leather Traders Association (RLTA) General Secretary Delwar Hossain told the FE Monday.
Earlier, the government had allowed import of all kinds of products through the LC station. In the current fiscal, the NBR amended the rule and fixed only a few products that could be imported through Bibir Bazaar LC.
To strengthen local tannery industry, the government should allow import of rawhide and skins through Bibir Bazar LC station, Hossain said.
Hossain said most leather units are located in Dhaka and Chittagong and Bibir Bazar lies in between the two cities. So it is easier to import the perishable item with in a short time through the port and deliver those to the production facilities.
Although the government has been taking effective measures to help the industry stay in the competitive market, a minor mistake of the officials concerned has caused suffering of the importers.
The importers claimed that they have sent at least 20 letters requesting the customs officials to make the necessary amendment.
Importers alleged that concerned authority is reluctant to revise the order for 'unknown reason', although a number of senior officials agreed to do so.
The importers have imported around US$ 80,000 worth of rawhide skins last fiscal from India through the LC station in question.
Importers have been facing difficulties following the government's 'inadvertent' omission of Bibir Bazar land customs station as an authorised route for importing rawhide, situated in Comilla.
In the current fiscal, the government imposed restrictions on import of a number of products, which were allowed since 1997, through Bibir Bazar land customs (LC).
NBR officials admitted that the name of Bibir Bazar LC station was accidentally omitted as an authorised route for importing rawhide in the current fiscal.
The NBR official said: "It was not an intentional mistake. It could be clarified through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO)."
Leather importers alleged that eight months of current fiscal has already clasped without any amendment to the order that has been posing a threat to the industry.
Importers said the import costs of rawhide and skins through Bibir Bazar is comparatively much lower than that imported through LC stations at Tamabil and Benapole.
"It is comparatively cheaper to import rawhide through Bibir Bazaar. It is adjacent to Tripura and Asam where the item is available abundantly," Raw Leather Traders Association (RLTA) General Secretary Delwar Hossain told the FE Monday.
Earlier, the government had allowed import of all kinds of products through the LC station. In the current fiscal, the NBR amended the rule and fixed only a few products that could be imported through Bibir Bazaar LC.
To strengthen local tannery industry, the government should allow import of rawhide and skins through Bibir Bazar LC station, Hossain said.
Hossain said most leather units are located in Dhaka and Chittagong and Bibir Bazar lies in between the two cities. So it is easier to import the perishable item with in a short time through the port and deliver those to the production facilities.
Although the government has been taking effective measures to help the industry stay in the competitive market, a minor mistake of the officials concerned has caused suffering of the importers.
The importers claimed that they have sent at least 20 letters requesting the customs officials to make the necessary amendment.
Importers alleged that concerned authority is reluctant to revise the order for 'unknown reason', although a number of senior officials agreed to do so.
The importers have imported around US$ 80,000 worth of rawhide skins last fiscal from India through the LC station in question.