Noab for scrapping newsprint testing requirement

FE Report
Newspaper owners expressed its deep concern over the process of complexities that arose in newsprint import, saying that it would put the industries of newspaper, printing and publications at stake.
Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (Noab) in a statement issued Friday said the process of making testing by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) mandatory for imported newsprint had started secretly much earlier.
"We came to know about the matter lately," it said.
The statement said the association along with seven others had made an objection to the move of BSTI testing at a meeting organised by the commerce ministry on March 24 last, in which eight organisations took part.
It said the commerce ministry on April 9 last had sought opinion of the stakeholders and some of them had already submitted their views on the issue.
The statement said they have been observing with deep concern that the government issued a letter on April 16 last regarding the import of newsprint and Writing and Printing Papers based on an SRO (Statuary Regulatory Order) issued a year ago.
"Desperation and lack of transparency in the process raised many questions. We also want development of our local industry. But quality of the local newsprint is not up to the requirement, and it is impossible to use local newsprint in the modern printing press," it said.
Explaining the issue, the statement said the ill move to damage the newspaper and publication industries for protecting the business interest of some vested interests needed to be stopped right now.
"So, there is no logic in imposing the BSTI testing requirements, as there is a scope for carrying out the tests by the officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) at the Chittagong Port," it said.
Under the present circumstances, it will take a long time to bring the samples of imported newsprint from Chittagong to Dhaka for testing purpose.
Thus it will cause financial losses and create a difficult situation for the newspaper owners, it added.
It said the newspaper industry has been facing financial hardship following the implementation of the 8th Wage Board. "So, complexities, misuse and harassment are not expected, and it will not be possible to bring newspapers within the readers' reach unless the initiative in question is scrapped," the Noab statement said.