‘Border management vital’ to hasten export, import

Bangladesh customs will celebrate International Customs Day-2015 today (Monda) with a theme 'coordinated border management: An inclusive approach for connecting stakeholders'.
Some 179 member countries of World Customs Organisation (WCO), including Bangladesh, will celebrate the day simultaneously in their respective country.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) organised a press briefing on its premises on the eve of celebration of the day.
Trade facilitation and coordinated border management can expedite customs clearances and reduce the time of export-import of goods, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said at the briefing.
Border management is a vital issue to speed up work through coordinated efforts, he said.
BGB, immigration, police, port authority, banks, clearing and forwarding agents, importers-exporters, truck and covered van owners association and railways work on loading and unloading of goods with customs, he added.
"WCO believes those agencies can expedite trade and passengers' movement in customs point by coordinated and integrated work," Mr Rahman said. Customs policy member Farid Uddin expressed his optimism over introduction of an integrated customs management system by next one year. "Export-import time reduction and checking false declaration are the main objectives of customs automation," he said.
The customs and central bank have moved to introduce e-LC to check false declaration of goods, he added.
"Due to some technical glitches the authority concerned suspended e-LC system just after its introduction on Saturday. Hopefully the system would be resumed from Tuesday," he said.   
The system needs to be reconciled data of the Bangladesh Bank (BB), Mr Farid said.
"The system detected mismatch of some data inserted by the traders in their documents," he added.
He also highlighted the customs move on post-clearance of audit and central risk management to facilitate customs trade and check duty evasion.
Responding to a query on achieving revenue collection target amid political impasses, the NBR chief said an action plan would be framed next month to face the challenges.
The NBR chairman gave details of the celebration programme at the press briefing.  
The NBR would celebrate the customs day centrally at Dhaka and regionally at nine customs houses and customs, excise and VAT directorates of the country.
A colourful rally would be held at 8.0 am today starting from the NBR to Press Club. Bangladesh Postal Department would publish commemorative stamp and envelop on the occasion of celebration of the day. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will unveil the stamps and envelop at cabinet division of Bangladesh Secratariat Monday morning.
A seminar has been organised at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) on the occasion. Finance Minister AMA Muhith would be chief guest of the programme. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and economic affairs adviser to the PM Dr Mashiur Rahman, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Kazi Akram will attend the programme as special guests.
Customs commissioner AHM Shahbuddin Nagori would present a key note paper at the programme on customs automation and other areas of innovative work.
NBR chairman Nojibur Rahman will moderate the programme.
Customs Member Khandaker Aminur Rahman, also convener of the customs day celebration committee, will deliver welcome speech. Some 20 customs officials will be awarded at the programme with 'WCO certificate of merit 2015' for their outstanding performances.
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