Staff Reporter :
The new import policy, published recently, will facilitate the local industries to manufacture products in a simplified way to reduce dependency on imported goods.
The Commerce Ministry published the Import Policy Order 2021-24, effective from Sunday, through gazette notification under the Imports and Exports (control) Act 1950 and it will be valid until June 30, 2024.
As per the notification, the domestic manufacturing industries will enjoy duty-free facility through the bonded-warehouse window.
The duty-free import facility under the bonded-warehouse mechanism used to be enjoyed by export industries, especially in the export-processing zones.
But the new policy allows the local industries import raw materials against partial export order through 100-percent bank guarantee and also allows import of cruise ship through lifting bars.
The policy eases regulatory authority of the commerce ministry on office of the Chief Controller of Import Export to expedite clearance process of export-import documents.
In order to encourage local manufacturing industries to go for exporting their products alongside domestic supply, the customs authority would release the imported raw materials and other inputs against 100-per cent bank guarantee on the basis of Utilization Declaration and Utilization Permission, the policy said.
According to the policy, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) will determine value addition to the export products manufactured through the duty-free raw materials and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) or relevant authority on the product will fix entitlement of the raw materials through issuing notification.
The policy has also increased banned import goods to 26 from 12 in order to protect local manufacturers. employees who were appointed in ‘Revitalization of Community Health Care Initiative in Bangladesh’ and ‘Community Base Health Care’ projects.
And by operation of the said law the service of the officers and employees of the RCHCIB project has already been placed under the Trust and as such the writ petitioners are now the officers and employees of the said Trust, added the Attorney General.
After hearing all the parties, the apex court disposed of all the leave petitions with some observations.
In an observation the court said, “The officers and employees of ‘Revitalization of Community Health Care Initiatives in Bangladesh’ and ‘Community Based Health Care’ projects who worked till 30 June, 2015 in these projects are now have become the officers and employees of the Trust, automatically.”
The government is directed to consider the case of the writ petitioners in the light of the provisions provided in the ‘Community Clinic Health Assistance Trust Act, 2018’.
The court also observed that it is desirable that the regulations of the ‘Community Clinic Health Assistance Trust Act, 2018’ be framed as early as possible for the betterment of the officers and employees of the Trust, whose service has been placed under the Trust from the above two projects.
