The Accumulator Battery Manufacturers and Exporters' Association of Bangladesh (ABMEAB) urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to keep the current tax ratio on battery import unchanged.
ABMEAB president Munawar Misbah Moin said the local battery industry is capable to expand more with creating more jobs if the current structure of taxation remains unchanged.
The organisation made the call while placing their national budget-related proposals to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), reports UNB on Friday.
Currently, there are 25 per cent import duty, 20 percent supplementary duty and 3 per cent regulatory duty on import batteries.
Claiming that the battery factories have employed about 100,000 people directly and indirectly across the country, the ABMEAB said they have introduced a new advanced technology --Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF)-in the battery manufacturing which now enjoys the status of light engineering sector.
The SMF battery is now being used by hybrid motor vehicles, said the battery industry operators noting that some 21 battery industries are now producing such products.
ABMEAB officials said they are currently exporting their batteries to over 70 countries across the globe while regular exports are made to 51 countries after meeting the internal demands.
The countries include the USA, the UK, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, European nations, Middle-east countries, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
There is a battery market of Tk 80.00 billion and most of which is supplied by local producers, said an official of a local battery industry.