Indo-Bangla Jt Customs Meeting In Dhaka
Bangladesh to seek removal of CVD on RMG, dev of Indian land ports
Customs officials of Bangladesh and India will meet on October 21-22 in Dhaka with an aim to enhance trade facilitation mechanism including removal of non-tariff barriers and improvement of infrastructure at land ports and land customs stations along the borders, officials of the National Board of Revenue said. They said that trade activities between the two countries remained below the expected level because of weaker infrastructure at borders and NTBs, mostly from Indian side.
Though the country has provided duty-free market access to all Bangladeshi products, except narcotics, alcohol, cigarette, arms and ammunition, Bangladeshi exporters face many NTBs that create obstacles in increasing its export volume to India, they added.
NBR chairman Ghulam Hussain will lead the Bangladesh delegation consisting of officials from the customs administration, ministries of foreign affairs, commerce, home, finance and communication at the meeting of the joint group while Indian revenue secretary Sumit Bose will lead his side.
At the meeting, Dhaka will propose New Delhi for withdrawal of 15.36 per cent countervailing duty on readymade garments from Bangladesh, allowing export of soaps through all land customs stations and recognition of test certificates of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute.
‘India has imposed 15.36 per cent countervailing duty on RMG products from Bangladesh which is a huge setback for apparel item exporters in getting market access to the country,’ a high official of the NBR told New Age on Sunday.
Commerce ministry will propose India to withdraw the CVD, he said.
At commerce ministry level meeting held in March, 2012, India agreed to allow soap export from Bangladesh through all customs stations but till now Indian customs stations, particularly Akhaura, are not allowing the facility.
This issue will also be discussed, he said.
He said that Bangladesh’s export faces huge hindrance due to inadequate infrastructure facilities at customs stations, particularly at Changrabandha, Mahadipur, Tamabil on the Indian side.
‘We will request the country to improve infrastructure facilities at customs stations for enhancing trade facilitation as counterpart of those stations in Bangladesh has sufficient infrastructures,’ he said.
Most of the land ports and land customs stations on the Indian side lack in testing facilities, particularly for testing of textiles and food products.
Bangladeshi exporters need to travel 100 km to 600 km to Kolkata, Benaras and other places for getting testing certificates which creates serious problems, he said.
‘We will propose for arranging testing facilities at main customs stations,’ he said.
Both the countries will also discuss exchange of information relating to export-import value, weight of products and other documents to check tax evasion through false declaration, under-invoicing and other means and introduction of car pass system for the truck drivers at land customs stations.
According to meeting’s agenda, 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 annual meeting at director general of customs intelligence level.
-With New Age input
