The government has imposed fresh fees on 46 types of export-import services to increase its non-tax earnings to make two ends meet, in a measure seen as ill-timed.
By a twin-stroke it has also increased fees of export-registration certificate (ERC), import-registration certificate (IRC) and indenting- certificate renewal.
Currently, the Office of Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E) under the commerce ministry provides 52 types of services. It provides services to traders under Online Licensing Module (OLM).
Of them, it only collects fees against six services fixed by the government. The six services are: commercial and industrial IRC and renewal, ERC and renewal and formalin production, import, and storage and sale licensing.
The new fee rates will be made effective from next month, September. The commerce ministry on Thursday last issued a circular to this effect.
The imposed and increased fees will increase cost of trade and business and also create suffering for the businesses concerned, stakeholders say.
Some Tk 1,000 to Tk 5,000 worth of fees have been imposed against the 46 types of services.
Some Tk 25,000 in fees has been imposed on the import of private firearms.
The circular says the IRC- registration fee has been increased by Tk 6,000 to Tk 24,000 for the import limit of Tk 2.5 million Tk 5.0 million.
The registration fee for the range between Tk 5.0 million and Tk 10 million has been increased by Tk 10,000 to Tk 40,000. The registration fee within the import limit of Tk 10 million to Tk 50 million has been increased by Tk 5,000 to Tk 50,000.
Besides, the registration fee has been set at Tk 60,000 and renewal fee at Tk 24,000 for newly import limit from Tk 50 million to Tk 200 million.
The registration fee for the import limit of Tk 200 million to Tk 500 million has been set Tk 70,000 and renewal fee Tk 28,000.
In the last slap, the registration fee of import limit from Tk500/1000 million and above has been fixed Tk 80,000 and renewal fee Tk 32,000.
Meanwhile, the registration fee for the export-registration certificate has been increased by Tk 3,000 to Tk 10,000.
ERC for indenting service has been increased by Tk 10,000 to 50,000 and multiple ERC fee has been increased by Tk 3,000 to Tk 10,000.
On the other hand, the formalin- production-licence fee has been increased by Tk 50,000 to Tk 0.3 million, the item import licence fee has been increased from Tk 50,000 to 0.25 million and the licence fee for storage and sale of formalin has been increased by Tk 25,000 to Tk 0.125 million.
Apart from this, a fee of Tk 2,000 has to be paid for changing the bank, changing the import limit and changing the ownership of the registration.
Among the new areas where fees have been imposed are changing company name-address and ownership, time extension for LC opening and shipping, clearance permit, exemption from IRC, amendment of export permit, extension of export permit.
Besides, fees must be paid to obtain import permits for hospital, NGO, university products, donations, clearance of goods of private institutions, and clearance of capital equipment.
Businesses and economists have, however, expressed their opinion not in favour of such fees in the context of the prevailing economic situation.
President of the Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB) Abdus Salam Murshedy MP says instead of imposing fees the government should pay its attention more to ensuring prompt and quality services for facilitating country's overall trade.
"Keeping the country's ever-growing trade activities in view, there is an urgent need for bringing about reform in the CCI&E," he adds.
When contacted, noted economist and Chairman of Policy Exchange of Bangladesh Dr M. Masrur Reaz said the imposing and increase in the different types of services is not a timely decision.
"Since already local business is facing some growing inflation pressure and dollar crisis and other external impediments following the Russia-Ukraine war, the imposing of the fees would create extra burden on them," he said.
Besides, he adds, the decision would push up overall cost of doing business.
However, a senior official of the commerce ministry believes that no negative impact will be on the country's trade and business due to the newly imposed and increased fees.
