Reza Mahmud :
Lower supplementary duties and tariff values on importing Medical Protective Equipment (MPE), including hand sanitizer bottles, containers, spray head plastics, parts of non-woven face masks, face shields and others products, are causing harms local plastic industries, sources said.
Leaders of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) claimed that the lower SD and tariff values are hampering the local industries interests.
They said as per the current tariff rate in importing those items, the government stipulated three percent supplementary duty only whereas they demanded to hike it to 50 percent to protect the local manufacturers.
Besides, the government fixed tariff values only 2 to 2.5 USD for importing per Kgs of those items while it is USD 12 in per kgs as the lowest in the international markets, they said.
When contacted, Shamim Ahmed, President of BPGMEA, told The New Nation on Thursday, “We have demanded to the government to fix 50 pc of SD on importing MPEs keeping the current importing tariff 25 percent. We also requested to hike tariff values USD 12 per kg of importing MPEs. But the government did not hear us.”
They kept the existing SD and tariff values remind, it will hamper the local industries and national economy as well, he claimed.
The business leader said, while the plastic manufacturing sector is in growing well and contributing the national economy, such actions will hamper the progress.
The BPGMEA President urged the Prime Minister to hear their request and to take immediate measures for the sake of protect the local manufacturing sector.
He said, the World Bank has shown interest to import MPEs from Bangladeshi manufacturers. “Currently we are working with WB closely to export MPEs to the organization soon,” he said.
Local plastic goods manufacturers and exporters claimed that they are eligible to produce standard quality and huge quality of such products to meet total demands of the country and exports.
They claimed the government fixed supplementary duties on importing those items very low only which only to make importer and foreign factories benefited.
Besides, the local manufacturers are being hampered for the decision.
The manufacturers said, a section of bureaucrats are behind such decisions to make the importers benefitted.
They said, most of the country’s industrial sector is in bad condition due to the ongoing long term pandemic.
In this situation, the MPEs is the boosting items as the use of those products are on rise due to the pandemic.
Minimum two hand sanitizer sprays are using in most of families in urban areas.
The other items of the MPEs are also are on use vastly.
The plastic goods manufacturers can take this as a opportunity to boost production and growth which also will contribute the national GDP, they said.
