Govt to form salt board

The government will form a salt board to protect the interests of famers and develop the industry.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun disclosed this at a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Salt Mills Owners Association (BSMOA) at his office in the city on Tuesday.

Participation of all the stakeholders in the industry will be made sure in the board, he said.

The government is working on modernisation of the industry as well as improving the farmers' livelihood, he added.

Dr Akhteruzzaman, joint chief of the ministry, Ataur Rahman Siddique, director (project) of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Nurul Kabir, president of BSMOA and Motaherul Islam, senior vice president of BSMOA, among others, were present at the meeting.

The association leaders said a section of the salt importers pay only 32 per cent duty instead of existing 93 per cent on import of sodium sulphate and supplying it to the local market as packaged salt.

The genuine salt producers and millers in the country are losing competition due to such malpractices, they said.

Besides, they said, the government is losing revenue while the consumers facing the risks of health hazards due to such violation.

They urged the government to impose 100 per cent duty on import of sodium sulphate in the upcoming budget .

The minister said the government has a responsibility to protect the interests of salt producers and millers. So, it will extend all kinds of policy supports, he added.

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