Improvement of Indian land customs stations to be sought

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Rezaul Karim Bangladesh will give 17-point proposals to India on customs-related issues including development of infrastructure of the latter's land customs stations (LCS), official sources said. Besides, India will also submit 15-point proposals to Bangladesh for consideration. A high-level Indian delegation, led by Sumit Bose, the Revenue Secretary of the Indian Finance Ministry, will hold two-day talks in Dhaka on October 21-22 with its Bangladesh counterpart. The Bangladesh side will be led by Md. Ghulam Hussain, Chairman, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), according to a press release of the Indian High Commission. The talks will take place under the established bilateral framework of the Joint Group of Customs (JGC).This will be the ninth round of the JGC. The eighth JGC was held in New Delhi on April 25-26, 2012. Mr. Bose will also visit the Chittagong Port and the Export Promotion Zone in Chittagong. The two sides are expected to discuss and review existing mechanism for exchange of customs-related information, infrastructure facilities available at the LCS and procedural bottlenecks related to trade such as testing facilities, online processing facilities, congestion, documentation etc, the press release said. The meeting is important for a cost-efficient and expeditious trading between the neighbouring countries in the coming days, NBR sources said. At the meeting, Bangladesh will urge India to develop LCS in the latter's territory and withdraw the 12 per cent countervailing duty (CVD) it charges on apparel imports from Bangladesh. "The two proposals, if accepted by India, would offer great opportunities for us and will help reduce setbacks to exports from Bangladesh," a high official of the Commerce Ministry said. Exports to India from Bangladesh face difficulties owing to insufficient infrastructure facilities at customs stations, particularly at Changrabandha, Mahadipur and Tamabil on the Indian side. Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) are also facing a tough competition in the Indian market due to imposition of CVD at the rate of 12 per cent. Bangladesh will also exchange information on weight of products, introduction of car pass system for truck drivers at land customs stations except Banapole and seek removal of the existing hindrances for exporting loom products to India. Dhaka will also ask for Delhi's approval of BSTI testing. Bangladesh will also seek facility for exporting its soap to India at the joint working group meeting beginning tomorrow. In March, 2012, India agreed to allow soap export from Bangladesh through all customs stations but till now there is Indian embargo on it, Commerce Ministry sources said. Issues like error-free information technology service in Petrapole port, construction of retreat facilities for both BGB and BSF in all land customs stations, information on customs officials who are engaged in Indian land customs stations, exchange of information on import and export and relevant customs documents on regular basis are likely to be discussed. According to the meeting's agenda, the Indian side will propose construction of a road for trade route from Ichamati-Beltoli village at East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya to Lubia village in Sylhet, rescheduling of working hours and days and holding of annual meeting at the Director General of Customs Intelligence level, exchange of all certificates of origin under SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area), delay in unloading and return of Indian trucks from Bangladesh.