The government is contemplating a cut in scanning fees at Chittagong Port on requests from importers and exporters, who claimed that the exorbitant charges were hindering their competitiveness in the global market, the Bangladesh Financial Express reported.
The government might reduce the fees by 50 per ent from the existing US$5 and $2.5 per FCL (full container load) and LCL (light container load) respectively.
"The rates will be reduced following requests from the exporters as the revenue board wants to make sure any measures imposed are business-friendly," said a senior official of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
To what extent the rates would be reduced was being worked out, he added.
However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) proposed a cut in the rates to $2 and $1 per FCL and LCL container respectively.
It also requested the NBR to issue a scanning certificate with each container, which the exporters would show to the foreign buyers. The revenue board said that before imposition of the scanning service charge, the exporters had to spend it in other countries like Sri Lanka and Singapore.
Local exporters earlier had to seek the help of a port in Colombo or Singapore for scanning the containers before shipment as the machine was not available at Chittagong Port. |
