A large number of courier service firms are doing brisk business in the country without getting approval from the authority concerned, depriving the public exchequer of a substantial amount of revenue every year.
Besides, the unregistered companies are also putting the delivery of important parcels, valuables and money at risk, industry insiders said.
They said the number of courier service operators in the country now stands at around 900. Of them, only 50 companies have so far been registered with the licensing authority under the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
According to Courier Service Association of Bangladesh (CSAB), a total of 112 courier companies are affiliated with the association, including those registered with the ministry. But nearly 750 of such companies have neither approval from the authority nor they have membership of the association.
“The government receives revenue worth Tk 50-60 million from the courier service companies each year. But the unregistered courier service providers are running business with only trade licences,” CSAB President Hafizur Rahman Pulok told The New Nation on Thursday.
“But these trade licences are not enough to do business. They have to take approval from the licensing authority,” he said.
“Some courier service operators are submitting applications to get licence from the authority concerned. All the courier service providers have to take approval from it. Otherwise, they will not be able to run business in future,” said the CSAB president.
The government passed the Post Office (Amendment) Act 2010, allowing the courier companies to run business legally in the country.
Earlier, Section 4 of the Postal Act 1898 allowed only state-run post offices to do such business. As per Section 4, exclusive privilege of conveying letters were reserved for the government and no other entity could carry letters.
After amending the act, the couriers are permitted to carry letters legally, but they have to be registered with the licensing authority.
In reply to a question about unregistered courier service providers, a senior official of the Postal Department said: “We are now trying to focus on the registration of courier companies.”
“If they do not take approval, we will ask the authority concerned to take legal actions against them,” he added.
Courier service business had been gradually expanding in the country since early 80s. But it mushroomed mainly during the period between 2001 and 2009.
Industry insiders said since 2010 business of the sector dropped due to mobile money transfer, internet banking and political unrest.
“Some courier companies, such as Sundarban Courier, Dreamland Courier and Continental Courier, have been carrying out their business activities as per the Air Express Service of Biman Bangladesh Airlines since October 31, 1983,” said CSAB founder President Imamul Kabir Shanto.
About investment in the sector, it is very tough to know about the investment size, as most courier service providers are neither the association members nor registered, he said.
Meanwhile, the insiders urged the government to provide them with land and loan at low interest rate as well as compensation for the vehicles, torched during the non-stop countrywide blockade.
They also said the government should declare the courier service sector as an industry, as around 0.50 million people are directly and indirectly involved with the business.
