Restriction on import of used car may be relaxed

Doulot Akter Mala The government may relax the restriction imposed on the import of used cars, a leader of the Bangladesh Association of Re-conditioned Vehicle Importers' Association (BARVIDA) has claimed. "We have received a positive signal from the finance minister on allowing import of cars used up to five years," said Abdul Hamid Sharif, secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA). Finance Minister AMA Muhith at a meeting held recently, according to Mr Sharif, has assured the reconditioned vehicle importers that the government would suspend the restriction and review the issue further. The reconditioned vehicle importers have been opposing the government restriction on the plea that imported reconditioned cars will go beyond reach of general people and, consequently, imports of substandard cars increase. Earlier, the government moved to amend the import policy-2009-2012 restricting import of used cars above three years. It also planned to introduce a mandatory road worthiness certificate from Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Centre (JEVIC) which will involve additional cost of the used cars. The country's used car importers obtain certificate from Japan Auto Appraisal Institute (JAAI), a state-owned entity of Japan. Customs officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and importers of reconditioned cars attended the meeting with the Finance Minister Wednesday at the secretariat. The imported reconditioned cars are better than new cars as Japanese made those for their own use, Mr Sharif said. He said the car importers have urged the finance minister to encourage import of air-conditioned buses to ease traffic congestion. He said a team of JAAI arrived in Dhaka Friday (September 16) to discuss with the government about its further requirement on appraisal certificate. In a letter, the Japanese value appraisal company of used cars pledged to establish online connectivity with Bangladesh to share appraisal date. A four-member team of the JAAI will meet with the high-officials of finance and commerce ministry to discuss the issue. The delegation will be led by Tomoo Isaka, executive director of JAAI, Hidehiko Ebihara, adviser, Yasunobu Konishi, manager of Osaka branch, Takayuki Esaki, manager of Aichi branch of JAAI.