Reza Mahmud :Different prominent foreign magazines like Time, Economists and Fortune are allegedly smuggled into Bangladesh by some dishonest businessmen causing huge revenue loses to the government.International Book Agencies Limited, the sole agent of these international magazines, has recently sent an application to the Secretary of National Board of Revenue (NBR) detailing the issue.In the application, the agent complained that some smugglers are bringing the magazines ignoring all rules of the government. Mostly, the magazines are brought in the country from India, where the cover prices are comparatively low. Taking huge readers and subscribers under consideration, the authorities of those magazines have fixed lower cover prices of their publications in India compared to Bangladesh. Especially, a big amount of revenue, which comes from advertisement, plays a key role in fixing lower price of magazines in India. Availing this opportunity, some dishonest businessmen and smugglers are bringing weekly Time, Economists, India Today and fortnightly Fortune from India apparently dodging all duties and taxes of the government. “The government should immediately take step to stop smuggling of the magazines. The government offices also should buy the magazines from the real agents, who are giving taxes to the government,” Md Harunur Rashid, former Director General of Bangla Academy, said.Sources said, the smugglers usually bring the magazines by currier services declaring false item. Sometimes these are also brought in disguise along with other imported periodicals and books with an intention to evade taxes.The dishonest businessmen buy these magazines in comparatively cheaper price from India and sell those in Bangladesh in a lower price than offered by the local agent, the sources said.As a result, the subscribers are showing more interest to smuggled magazines, rather than buying from agencies. Even some government offices, who buy the magazines under tender system, invites tender from different organisations in lower prices. In that case, the legal agent got deprived and faces huge loss. Selina Doja Ponni, the chairperson of International Book Agencies Limited, told The New Nation on Tuesday, “As a sole agent, we are paying the government all duties, VAT, income tax and other taxes. When we import 2000 copies of magazines, there is no assurance that all will be sold. Every week a lot of magazines stay unsold. But we have to pay all the VAT and other taxes.” “It is strictly prohibited selling of the magazines from one country to another. But the smugglers bring these magazines from India to sell in Bangladesh. Our clients are decreasing in numbers. Every week we are counting unsold magazines. It is hampering our business,” she said.Selina Doja further said, the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, secretaries and high officials, among others, are readers of these magazines.
