The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Some 650 containers are piled up in different ports and toll collection booths in the country due to lack of Customs clearance.

A total of 11,050 metric tonnes of raw materials for production of plastic goods are waiting for release in these ports and booths and the total demurrage on these shipments amounts to Tk 20 crore.

Leaders of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) said this at a press conference at BPGMEA office in the city yesterday.

They urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to release the imported goods immediately.

They said that the plastic industry is playing a vital role in the economic development of the country, as 'backward linkage industry' so to face the present global challenges the government should withdraw bank guarantee on the exported items. Md Jashim Uddin, President of the association, read out a written statement, while Md Yusuf Ashraf and ASM Kamal Uddin, advisers of the association, spoke on the occasion.

Leaders of the association claimed that some bond organisations renewed their licences without taking membership certificate and recommendations of the BPGMEA. They urged the NBR not to permit any licence to those bond organisations without the requisite certificate and recommendations of the BPGMEA.

They said due to various notifications and orders by the NBR authority in different times, the sector of the plastic industry is passing through a crisis period. About 234 running export-oriented industries are going to be shut down soon.

They urged the government to take initiative to solve the present crisis in different ports and toll collection booths for releasing both import and export consignments.