BEELIA demands reclassification of elevators as capital machinery for rational housing sector

The Bangladesh Elevator, Escalator and Lift Importers Association (BEELIA) has urged the government to reclassify elevators and escalators as capital machinery and rationalise the existing duty structure to ensure sustainable growth in the country's housing, industrial, and infrastructure sectors.

The demand was raised at a press conference held on recently at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the city, organised by BEELIA.

The Association President Md Shafiul Alam Uzzwal said elevators are no longer luxury items in the context of modern urbanisation, high-rise construction, industrialisation, and inclusive infrastructure development.

Rather elevators have become essential capital equipment that support economic growth and improve public accessibility, he said.

According to him, elevators were removed from the Capital Machinery category in 2023 and subsequently classified as commercial products.

Since then, import duties have increased consecutively in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

As a result, the total duty burden on elevator imports has risen from around 11 per cent in FY23 to nearly 46 per cent in FY25.

He said the sharp increase in duties has significantly raised construction costs across various sectors, particularly the housing industry.

Many elevator companies have been forced to scale down operations, leading to substantial job losses, added he.

During the press conference, BEELIA presented several recommendations to the government, including restoring the capital machinery status for elevators and escalators.

The association also demanded a reduction in the load factor value from US$3.00 per kg to US$1.50 per kg.

It further called for effective monitoring to prevent the misuse of imported raw materials under the guise of local manufacturing.

Among its other recommendations were simplifying and expediting port-level scaling, valuation, and customs clearance procedures, as well as reforming the duty and tax structure to facilitate the import of internationally certified and safe elevators.

Speaking at the event, REHAB President Dr Ali Afzal said the current high rates of customs duties, VAT, and other taxes on elevator imports are having a direct negative impact on both consumers and the housing sector.

He noted that excessive duties imposed on internationally recognised elevator brands in the name of protecting local industries have significantly increased the cost of installing elevators in high-rise buildings.

Ultimately, these additional costs are being passed on to apartment buyers through higher per-square-foot prices, making home ownership increasingly difficult for middle-income families, he said.

REHAB Senior Vice-President Abdur Razzaq highlighted the importance of government support for the elevator sector to promote planned urbanisation, smart city development, and safe infrastructure growth.

Other speakers at the press conference included BEELIA General Secretary Md Eadul Haque, BEELIA Adviser Emdad Ur Rahman, Vice-President Asim Sarker, Director Mohammad Zakirul Haque, and BEELIA's Chattogram representative Md Yusuf Nabi.

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