Businesses suffer for suspension of IP issuance from Chattogram

CHATTOGRAM: The Chief Controller of Import and Export (CCI&E) in the capital city has again suspended issuance of import permit (IP) from its regional office in Chattogram which has invited strong criticism from the local businesses.

Some of the businesses have termed it an imprudent decision of those who have opted to centralise import-export activities in Dhaka instead of decentralising and liberalising the export-import rules to ease cost of doing business as envisaged in the policy of the government.

The businesses have said they have gone even up to the Ministry of Commerce to take positive steps regarding issuance of IP from the commercial city Chattogram which, they believe, will further facilitate export and import of the country.

The CCI&E in Dhaka through the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI), Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CMCCI) to immediately restore the authority with regional office of the Agriculture Extension Department.

But no step has yet been taken in this regard, they said. They alleged the CCI&E suspended issuance of IP from its Chattogram office in the middle of last calendar year due to corruption of its employees.

Following the move, the importers based in Chattogram have been suffering a lot as they have to wait for IP from Dhaka for days together prior to opening L/C for import of different items.

The importers, businesses, trade body leaders have expressed disappointment at the latest move of the CCI&E office. They termed it antagonistic to the government policy of creating business-friendly environment and demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision.

They also demanded online issuance of the IP through Chattogram regional office to expedite import and export. Chairman of a major import house based in Chattogram said most of the country's major importers are based in Chattogram while the region houses the country's largest wholesale consumer goods.

He said only three services out of 55 are being provided from Chattogram office of the CCI&E. These are issuance of IRC (import registration certificate), ERC (export registration certificate) and renewal of the same.

On the other hand, Chattogram holds the lion's share of import and export of the country. It houses two public Export Processing Zones (EPZs), Korean EPZ, shipbuilding, ship breaking, Mirsarai and Anwara Economic Zones in the making and above all the largest region for consumer goods import and major steel products.

Tapan Sengupta, deputy managing director of the BSRM Group of Industries said the issuance of IP from Dhaka is highly time-consuming and cost-ineffective as it has been seen in the past. "This letter is simply a step-motherly attitude towards Chattigram which cannot be expected," he said in a letter to the president of the CMCCI on February 2.

The new circular suspending issuance of IP from the Chattogram office issued by the Office the Chief Controller of Import and Export in December 2018 has left the businesses to suffer.

"Issuance of IP from the CCI&E is such a step which will spoil most time of the businesses. It has been seen in the past that the head office takes much time in the IP issuance process and unnecessarily increases the cost of doing business," said a top official in one of the leading business houses in Chattogram.

Sources said that the CCI&E office issued the "Office Order" vide memo number 4422 dated December 09, 2018 prohibiting issuance of all sorts of IPs until further order from head office.

It further said that IPs will be issued only from the head office in Dhaka until further order. The order was signed by Moniruzzaman Khan, deputy controller of CCI&E, Dhaka.

Asked on the issue the deputy controller said he knows nothing about it. The Chief Controller can be contacted, he told the FE today.

Contacted, the Chief Controller of Import and Export said he joined the office only yesterday (Sunday) and will discuss the issue with the officials concerned to find out a solution very shortly. He was yet to learn about the office order, the CC said.

He said different trade body leaders and importers from Chattogram have wanted of the authority to restore the IP issuance authority with the regional office. The authority will see into essence of the decision, he told the FE this evening.

[email protected]