First india using stooge Awami regime signed transit deal which has still not been presented in JS. Awami regime and indian dalals told lie to people of billions in transit fees and taxes. Now Awami regime in line of indian push leaning to waive transport duty. Its pitty indian dalals are left to hold the bag of indo awami lie.
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India wants duty waiver on ODC transport
Shahidul Islam Chowdhury
India is pressing Bangladesh to agree to waive duties on transport of over-dimensional cargoes from its western side to the north-eastern states, government officials said.
India is asking us to waive duties on transport of ODCs, a senior official at the Prime Ministers Office told New Age.
An adviser to prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the official said, is in favour of waiver of duties on transport of ODCs on the plea that it is a one-time deal between the two countries.
Apparently it is a one-time deal to allow India to transport ODCs [over- dimensional cargoes] via Bangladesh. But according to Article 22 of the joint communiqué issued on January 13 during the prime ministers visit to New Delhi, it is a deal for a longer term transportation of ODCs, which has long-term implications, another government official said.
Bangladesh agreed, during foreign minister Dipu Monis visit to New Delhi in September, 2009, to provide India access to Ashuganj port here to facilitate transport of Over Dimensional Consignments for the Palatana power project in Tripura.
During Sheikh Hasinas visit to New Delhi in January this year, the two sides agreed to declare Ashuganj in Bangladesh and Silghat in India ports of call.
In a joint meeting in April, both sides agreed that Bangladesh would collect duties under the Bangladesh customs laws.
Subsequently on May 31, the two sides amended the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade and added Ashuganj and Shilghat as ports of call.
Bangladesh has eventually allowed multi-module transit to India after adding Ashuganj as a new trans-shipment point between the two countries.
As per the new arrangement, India can now carry its goods not only by waterways but also by road and rail transports from one part of its territory to the other via Bangladesh.
The PIWTT amendment allowed India to carry goods to Ashuganj port by ferry and from where they could be taken to the north-eastern India by road transports and railway.
According to the amended PIWTT, the new route would be Kolkata-Holdiya-Raimongal-Mongla-Kaukhali-Barisal-Hizla-Chandpur-Narayangang-Boirab Bazar- Ashuganj. From Ashuganj, goods would be carried by trucks and tractor-trailors or by railway to the Akhaura-Agartala border.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has set duties by a statutory regulatory order (SRO) on June 10 for trans-shipment and transit of goods through Bangladesh.
The duties would be Tk 10,000 per TEU container if the cargo is transported by road or rail in such containers and Tk 1,000 per tonne if transported by covered vans or trucks or in bulk by non-container ships and trains.
The NBR circular also says that controlled items like arms and ammunition, alcoholic drinks and narcotics, endangered species of plants and animals, and other commodities with a ban on their import will not be allowed for trans-shipment or transit.
The SRO also said that Bangladesh customs officers must know and would have the authority to check what goods were being trans-shipped or in transit.
A Bangladesh Tariff Commission member said, Bangladesh stands to lose a large amount in revenue if duties are waived on the Palatana-bound ODCs as it would set a precedent to allow India to transport both public and private cargoes between their western and eastern regions.
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