RMG exporters urge NBR to withdraw scanning fees
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
FE Report
Readymade garment (RMG) exporters and the NBR are at loggerheads over newly slapped scanning fees for export consignments in the Chittagong port, which the government imposed from early August.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have found the scanning fees as an additional financial burden on exporters affected by the global financial recession.
The Association has requested the government to withdraw the newly imposed scanning charges of US$ 5.0 and $2.5 for full container load (FCL) and light container load (LCL) respectively which the exporters Tk 1.3 million per day.
But, the NBR has said the government has levied the service charge for scanners, that the exporters have to spend in other countries including Sri Lanka and Singapore.
A senior customs official said: "The government has installed the scanner machine to reduce hassle and time in exporting goods to the largest destination US and EU where scanning of each container before shipment is mandatory."
Country's exporters had to seek help of Colombo or Singapore port for scanning of the containers before shipment as the machine was not available in Chittagong port, he said.
"Now the country is providing the scanning facility. The government will deposit the scanning fee for maintenance of the machine," he said.
"The issue needs further discussion. The service charge of $5.0 is an exorbitant rate for us," said BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy.
Asked about the issue, the customs official said the NBR has slapped the scanning fees after discussion with the representative of exporters. But NBR is ready for further discussion.
"If it seems burden for exporters than the charge could be reduced after discussion," he said.
The BGMEA has sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) saying that the customs authority cannot slap any service charge on the local exporters.
According to the estimate of BGMEA, around 200 FCL containers or 3000 LCL containers are either cleared as imports or forwarded as exports every day from the Chittagong port.
Readymade garment (RMG) exporters and the NBR are at loggerheads over newly slapped scanning fees for export consignments in the Chittagong port, which the government imposed from early August.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have found the scanning fees as an additional financial burden on exporters affected by the global financial recession.
The Association has requested the government to withdraw the newly imposed scanning charges of US$ 5.0 and $2.5 for full container load (FCL) and light container load (LCL) respectively which the exporters Tk 1.3 million per day.
But, the NBR has said the government has levied the service charge for scanners, that the exporters have to spend in other countries including Sri Lanka and Singapore.
A senior customs official said: "The government has installed the scanner machine to reduce hassle and time in exporting goods to the largest destination US and EU where scanning of each container before shipment is mandatory."
Country's exporters had to seek help of Colombo or Singapore port for scanning of the containers before shipment as the machine was not available in Chittagong port, he said.
"Now the country is providing the scanning facility. The government will deposit the scanning fee for maintenance of the machine," he said.
"The issue needs further discussion. The service charge of $5.0 is an exorbitant rate for us," said BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy.
Asked about the issue, the customs official said the NBR has slapped the scanning fees after discussion with the representative of exporters. But NBR is ready for further discussion.
"If it seems burden for exporters than the charge could be reduced after discussion," he said.
The BGMEA has sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) saying that the customs authority cannot slap any service charge on the local exporters.
According to the estimate of BGMEA, around 200 FCL containers or 3000 LCL containers are either cleared as imports or forwarded as exports every day from the Chittagong port.