International Labour Organization (ILO) and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) have signed an agreement to promote, simplify and harmonize the one-stop service (OSS) of BIDA. Under the agreement signed on Tuesday, ILO will support the integration of safety licenses of four national regulators to BIDA-OSS. Over the course of a year, ILO will provide necessary support to Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Department (BFSCD), Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) to integrate and operate their licensing systems to BIDA OSS. Also read: Youth unemployment rate in Bangladesh stands at 10.6pc: ILO Additionally, ILO will facilitate the simplification of application and payment process in BIDA-OSS, and support an awareness campaign to promote the system among investors. These activities will be conducted under the remit of ILO’s RMG programme funded by Canada and Netherlands. The programme would also provide essential technical and financial support to BFSCD, CDA, DIFE and RAJUK to interconnect their safety licencing systems to BIDA-OSS. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Country Director of ILO Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen said investment in workplace safety protects businesses from occupational hazards and improves the brand image of Bangladesh. “We hope integrating relevant safety licencing systems in the BIDA-OSS and simplification of the OSS process is a necessary step to attract more local and foreign investors to apply for safety permits,” Poutiainen said. Also read: UNDP, Grameenphone, BIDA join hands to create economic opportunities for youth Executive Chairman of BIDA Md Sirazul Islam said BIDA is pleased to collaborate with the ILO to streamline one-stop service system. “We believe the harmonization and simplification of BIDA-OSS will help investors save time and cost for setting up their businesses,” he said.

Bangladesh’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) operators are likely to get one-stop service (OSS) in receiving different licenses from various agencies which will ultimately play a vital role in reducing their operational costs. According to official sources, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division will initiate a move for introducing such OSS as part of ease of doing business ethics to promote and smoothen the growing business in the LPG sector. "We will introduce the OSS like the one in the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) system to bring all the services under one umbrella,” said Anisur Rahman, senior secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Also read: Introduce tracking system for LPG, CNG cylinders: Nasrul Hamid He said this OSS will be introduced within six months. “If necessary, we’ll place the issue at the top level of the government.” At present, the LPG operators have to take permission from various administrative and licensing bodies, including Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). In some cases, the operators have to move up to 21 offices from a district-level administration to ministry-level office, said Jakaria Jalal, head of marketing of Bashundhara LPG, a leading operator. Read Private companies’ 12kg LPG price re-fixed at Tk 906 Industry insiders and consumers right groups said multiple regulators in the energy sector have made the services costlier for both the operators and the consumers, casting a big impact on the tariff, especially in the LPG and CNG businesses. “Consumers have to bear the brunt of huge amounts paid in fees annually by the business operators,” said an energy expert. President of LPG Operators of Bangladesh (LOAB) Azam J Chowdhury at a recent seminar said any bulk liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business operator has to pay annually about Tk 13.5 million (1.35 crore) in total to 13 regulatory bodies to obtain licenses or to renew them for business. Also read: LPG distribution launched by UN partners in Cox’s Bazar The licensing bodies and the amount of their fees are Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Tk 35,65,000, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) (proposed) Tk 25,00,000, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Tk 40,000, Department of Environment (DoE) Tk 205,000, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) Tk 12,04,158, Department of Explosives Tk 116,000, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (BFSCD) Tk 120,000, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Tk 25,00,000, and city corporation/local government body Tk 93,760. The other bodies and their fees include Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishment (DIFE) Tk 320,000, Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI and E) Tk 61,000, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Tk 10,350 and Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC and F) Tk 27,60,000 (assuming an authorised capital Tk 3 billion or 300 crore). During a public hearing recently held by the BERC, officials of large six private LPG companies also raised the issues and demanded a single regulatory authority to monitor their business and introduction of a one-stop service at the prime regulator's office. Read LPG operators to get services under one roof soon Hasin Pervez, a leader of the Bangladesh CNG Filling Stations and Conversion Workshop Owners Association, brought a similar allegation saying that they have to pay fees to 22 bodies to take licenses for LPG and CNG business. "The most bothersome part, in this case, is that there’s no serial to maintain in seeking licenses or permission from among the bodies like deputy commissioner (DC) office, BPC, or any other authority," he said. Once anybody applies to the DC office, its officials ask the applicant to take licenses from other agencies first and then apply, he added. Read Omera LPG introduces home delivery services in lockdown Hasin Pervez noted that when applications are filed to other authorities, they direct to bring the DC Office's permission first and then apply to them. Echoing the allegation, Prof Shamsul Alam, an adviser to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said the consumer rights body will also prefer a single regulator in the energy sector. "We're of the same opinion that multiple regulatory bodies only create complications in business and enhance costs which cast an impact on the energy tariff, and finally consumers have to pay the price," he said. Read LPG terminal project at Matarbari to get consultant Backing their views, former member of the BERC Mizanur Rahman said there should be a single and prime regulatory authority with one stop service facilities that will coordinate with other government agencies. He said the BERC has already simplified some of the processes in applying for a license for energy business by reducing the number of required obligatory documents. "But still there’s a scope for doing much more to further ease doing business in the energy sector," he told UNB. Read BPC’s ballooning operations call for augmented manpower  He also suggested fixing the fees rationally so that it does not affect the consumers. BERC Member (Gas) Maqbul-E-Elahi Chowdhury said they have already prepared a draft to reduce the annual license fees for different businesses in the energy sector.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) on Monday (April 12, 2021) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Business Automation Ltd to introduce one-stop services.Addressing the agreement signing event, BSCIC Chairman Mostaque Hassan hoped that the one-stop services can be introduced within this month.Describing the one-stop service as a milestone for BSCIC, he said if it can be introduced, it will help BSCIC to render quality services to entrepreneurs. Also read: BSCIC urged to take leading role towards realising Vision 2041 BSCIC Secretary Mofidul Islam and Director of Business Automation Soyeb Ahmed Masud inked the MoU on behalf of their respective sides at BSCIC Board Room.Once the one-stop services are introduced, micro, small, cottage and medium entrepreneurs will be able to avail all sorts of services including trade license, registration of land, environmental clearance, approval for construction and utility connections from a single place.Currently, there are 79 BSCIC industrial estates in the country. Besides, BSCIC has a master plan to construct 50 more industrial estates in a total of 20 acres of land in the country by 2030. Also read: BSCIC Fair underway in NetrakonaSo, the one-stop services will play a significant role in attracting local and foreign investment in the industrial estates, said a press release.    Earlier, BSCIC, an organisation under the Industries Ministry, was incorporated in the One-Stop Service Act, 2018 for attracting investors from home and abroad.Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority are also there in the One-Stop Service Act. Also read: BSCIC, Oikko Foundation to jointly work for online marketing of products