The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Development activities under the Annual Development Programme could face setbacks this financial year as the import of black stone, limestone, river stone and black ash has halted for the last three months.

The government in an SRO on August 16 this year directed the importers to make import after inspection by the Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) company through all land-ports and land-stations. An international company, SGS, has been appointed PSI agent for import from India.

The government floated the SRO to remove the present anomalies concerning imports coming through land-stations and ports along the border.

But this SRO reportedly created roadblocks to the importers who import these stones, used for producing cement and construction of roads and bridges like other heavy constructions. Generally it is very much hard to do PSI of such items which are imported or exported in open mode. The stones and such other items are usually imported or exported on open-hood trucks. But the PSI firm has been appointed by the government to make sure that there be no scope for including or excluding anything after inspection from the loading station. For this purpose, the PSI men will seal the whole covered van or container. But, for an open-hood truck, it is not possible to seal.

According to the importers, the PSI company SGS (Kolkata) officials never inspect the loading of black stone, limestone, river stone and black ash on truck.

Also, the loading of these types of items is never done at one place. As such, the PSI officials never inspect consignments at the loading points.

Generally, the PSI officials sit at the export point and inspect the trucks. From there they contact the Kolkata office that used to give provisional and final certificate for export. The importers already complained to the NBR that due to the lower price of the materials and huge number of trucks waiting for clearance, the PSI-company officials pay less attention to their job. And, due to the neglect of duty, varied prices of black stones have been quoted in a single day, which is very much abnormal for an import item.

Talking to UNB, an importer said that if they comply with the new rules, they have to incur loss for every truck. "So we stopped importing black stones, limestone, river stones and black ash," he said.

Sona Masjid Importers and Exporters Group has already sent a letter to the NBR requesting exemption of these items from PSI obligations. Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) president Hossain Khaled recently in a meeting with NBR chairman Mohammad Abdul Majid pointed out the matter and requested the chairman to take steps regarding this.

The chamber delegation said that if the importers stopped the import of black stone, limestone, river stone and black ash, it would hamper the development activities.

When contacted, an NBR official told UNB that they would sit with the importers shortly to sort out the matter.

The previous government appointed four PSI companies-Cotecna Inspection SA, SGS (Bangladesh) Limited, Bureau Veritas BIVAC (Bangladesh) Limited and Intertek Testing Limited-in August 2005 for three years for certifying price, quality and quantity of imports.