The Commerce Ministry has requested the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to take steps to keep customs houses/stations open round the clock every day till Eid-ul-Azha to ensure smooth supply of essential items in the market and keep prices stable, officials said.
The ministry wants to ensure speedy clearance of more imported essential items especially onion-laden vehicles from India.
The ministry sent a letter to the chairman of the revenue regulator on Monday, requesting to keep customs houses/stations open 24 hours a day.
Earlier, the NBR issued a directive on Thursday last asking customs houses to speed up customs formalities and release of imported goods-especially key essential commodities-on priority basis to ensure smooth supply ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
It also instructed the officials concerned not to leave their workplaces without completing discharge of goods, and to do their duties extra hours when needed.
The commissioners concerned will monitor the progress carefully, and will inform the NBR on daily basis till Eid-ul-Azha.
NBR's instructions came after the Commerce Ministry responded to the request of traders to ensure speedy release of imported onion-laden vehicles at a review meeting on supply, prices and stocks of essential commodities with Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi in the chair. The meeting was held at Mr Munshi's secretariat office on Wednesday last.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Md Mofizul Islam, high officials of different ministries and representatives from trade bodies, law enforcing agencies, Bangladesh Bank, business groups and traders' associations were present at last Wednesday's meeting.
The traders in the meeting urged to ensure speedy clearance of imported onion-laden vehicles from land ports to help keep price of the item under control in the market. They alleged that 400 goods (onion)-laden trucks bound for Bangladesh remained stranded in the Bomra land port and Sona Masjid port.
The traders informed only 70 onion-laden vehicles are released every day in the ports. Release of delay causes increase of the price of perishable goods in the local market, and price of onion will be declined if 150 to 200 onion-laden vehicles are released every day, they commented at the meeting.
The traders requested the government to take steps to release minimum 150 to 200 onion-laden trucks every day in the ports.
Tipu Munshi replied the government had asked the authorities concerned to take effective measures for speedy release of onion-laden vehicles in the ports.
At the meeting, the senior secretary instructed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Satkhira to take steps to release the good-laden trucks, and be tough in dealing with the syndicates.
rezamumu@gmail.com
