Dhaka, Apr 17 (UNB)- Speakers at a meeting urged the government to simplify export and import process through the Benapole land port.

They called for capacity enhancement, developing infrastructure and continuing 24 hours operation of the port for smoother export and import process at a meeting held recently at Benapole Custom House Office. 

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Benapole Custom House jointly organised the meeting, according to a media statement released Wednesday.

An 11-member delegation from DCCI discussed existing problems of the port in terms of export and import. Benapole C&F Association and businessmen who use the port were also present.

DCCI Vice-President Imran Ahmed said that the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India is now $9.4 billion. The port is mostly used for export and import activities between the neighbors. In 2017-18, Tk4872.72 crore was collected from the port as revenue.

He said that the port’s current capacity is 40,000 tonnes but it handles about 1.5 to 2 lakh metric tonnes of goods. 

In order to expedite export and import processes, he suggested setting up adequate sheds for goods, simplification of product clearance, reducing hidden cost, solving problems of testing facility for food items. 

He also urged for expansion of Jashore-Benapole highway to six-lane, high speed internet at the port, dedicated uninterrupted electricity supply and establishing science lab. 

He said due to lack of shed, most of the goods are kept under open sky and as a result, their quality degrades. Moreover, due to delay in product clearance, businessmen have to count extra interest of bank loan. 

Imran requested to establish adequate sheds and warehouses in Petrapole port in Indian part and keep the port open for 24 hours. 

Commissioner of Benapole Custom House Mohammad Belal Hossain said that Benapole Custom House has already been using modern software recognised by the World Bank to ease export and import process. 

“For simplified customs procedures, the port authority has started four-step working process. Besides, for easing product clearance, a special seal is being used which reduces product clearance time. The port will be fully automated,” he added.  

Additional Commissioner of the Port Mohammad Zakir Hossain, DCCI Directors Alhaj Deen Mohammad, Mohammad Basiruddin, Former Senior Vice President Alhaj Abdus Salam, former Directors Md. Alauddin Malik, Major Yead Ali Fakir (retd.), Convener Engineer. Shamsuzzoha Chowdhury, Members Mohammed Monium Khan, Monwar Hossain, Md. Zamsher Ali also were present there.
 

Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB)- PRAN-RFL branded Swift, Glitter, Livana and Ray toiletries products of Sun Basic Chemicals Limited (SBCL) are now being exported to seven countries  including India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The consignments of the products have been sent to Fiji, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands of the Oceania region this month, said a press release on Tuesday.

Earlier, SBCL started exporting its products to Maldives in January.

Swift Toilet Cleaner, Glitter Dish Wash, Glass Cleaner and Ray Detergent Powder, Livana Coconut Hair Oil, Zoom Mosquito Coil and other toiletries products of SBCL, received good response in domestic market for its quality.

Modern technology and global standard formulations are being used to manufacture the toiletries products.

Ruhul F Talukder, General Manager of Sun Basic Chemicals Limited said, “Swift Toilet Cleaner, Glitter Dish Wash, Glass Cleaner and Ray Detergent Powder got huge popularity in northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Meanwhile, the demand of our products rose to 30 percent in India. And now our products have been placed to the Oceania countries apart from other global brands.”

 “We are going to introduce liquid detergent, anti-bacterial soap and hand wash, talcum powder, body wash and lotion in the market soon. The monthly production capacity of the factory of SBCL is 12000 tonnes. We are trying to introduce the products in the market keeping in mind that the consumers can purchase quality products,”  he said.

Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director (Marketing) of PRAN-RFL Group, said “Bangladeshi toiletries products have good prospects in global market if it is manufactured maintaining quality. We put our best efforts to manufacture quality products. We already have exported our products to seven countries.”

 “We have also taken initiative to export the toiletries products to some other countries. We will export our toiletries products to Oman, Saudi-Arabia, Qatar and some African countries soon,”  said Kamruzzaman Kamal.

Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB)- The country's electronics giant 'Walton'  announced ‘Baishakhi Offer’ for the customers of refrigerators  on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh.

Under this offer, a total of 500 customers will get ‘Golden Edition Fridge’ of special design through purchasing any model of fridges from Walton Plaza or distributor outlet across the country, said a press release on Tuesday.

The customers, who will register their purchased fridges under the ongoing Walton Digital Campaign, will be eligible for this offer. Customers will enjoy this offer during the entire month of Baishakh.

The offer was announced while unveiling Golden Edition Fridge of unique designed at Walton Corporate Office in the capital on April 13.

Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited (WHIL) Director SM Mahbubul Alam and Walton’s Sports Ambassador Bangladesh national cricket player Mehedi  Hasan Miraz, an all-rounder cricketer of Bangladesh National Cricket Team unveiled the new model of refrigerator.

Executive Directors Amdadul Haque Sarker, Nazrul Islam Sarker, SM Zahid Hasan, Humayun Kabir, Uday Hakim, Ariful Ambia, Golam Murshed and Amin Khan were, among others, attended the programme.

Along with this offer, the customers may get sure cash vouchers up to Tk 1 lakh or free products such as motorcycle, air conditioner, laptop, refrigerator, LED TV, oven and different electrical, electronics and home appliances.

Speaking at the function, WHIL Director SM Mahbubul Alam said, everyone likes to get new year gifts. Thus, Walton released refrigerator of unique design as special gift of Bangla New Year for the customers of Walton brand fridges, he added.

At the function, the Walton officials said they set a target of selling two million units of fridges in 2019 across the country. To achieve this target, Walton released huge energy efficient and environment-friendly new models of fridges with lucrative designs.

At now, Walton is supplying 101 models of frost and 20 models of non-frost refrigerator, 16 models of freezer and 2 models of beverage cooler.

Dhaka, Apr 15 (UNB)- Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) has recently inaugurated its Agent Banking outlet in Satbaria Bazar of Sujanagar upazila in Pabna district .

Ahmed Firoz Kabir, MP of Pabna-2 constituency inaugurated the outlet as a chief guest, said a press release on Monday.

Presided over by Md Kawsar ul Alam, Executive Vice President and Head of Rajshahi zone, the program was addressed by Md Abdul Based, Principal of Satbaria Degree College, SM Shamsul Alam, Chairman, of Satbaria Union Parishad and AKM Shamsul Alam, Headmaster of Satbaria High School as special guests. 

Syed Abdul Latif, Head of Sujanagar Branch of the bank and Md Ashraful Alam, bank’s agent and Proprietor of M/S Ashraful Alam Enterprise addressed the program while local businesspersons, professionals and dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Dhaka, Apr 11 (UNB)- A section of industrialists on Thursday urged the government not to hike  gas and electricity prices.

The call came from a seminar titled ‘Energy Pricing: Impact on Industries,’ organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) at its auditorium in the capital’s commercial district.

Businessmen participating in the seminar pointed to various problems with the gas connection they get in their factories. They held the view that the faults should be corrected to provide a reliable gas supply, before the government goes for rate hikes.

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, former secretary to the Power Division, presented the keynote. He explained that the proposed hike in the price of gas would not have the same blanket effect across all industries. Rather it would vary from one industry to the other, depending on the predominance or otherwise of gas as an input in the production process.

So for a gas-fired power plant, the cost of power production may increase 93.7 percent; for steel mills, production costs may shoot up sharply, by 7.4 percent; and cost of cement production may increase by nearly 2 percent.

“Non-food inflation may also increase to 1.5percent due to gas price hike. Electricity tariffs in Bangladesh are quite comparable with other regional countries.” He put forth some recommendations to conclude, including hunting down and disconnecting illegal gas and electricity connections, encouraging the use of LPG, and introducing the concept of peak pricing for electricity tariffs.   

Fouzul Khan’s assertion on electricity tariffs in Bangladesh being ‘comparable’ to other countries in the region was directly contradicted by State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid.

“There is very low price in our country compared to other countries of the world. We have to come out from subsidy. For this, we need further five to six years,” the state minister said, before going on to dismiss the notion that the government hikes utility prices at all. He rather sees them as ‘adjustments’, either up or down according to subsidy announced in the budget. The government still subsidizes around Tk 6000 crore in the energy sector on an annual basis.

Hamid also said that many industries with factories are being built in Bangladesh without considering how to supply them with energy. “So I ask all businesses to use electricity more and more in your factories, and instead of cars with internal combustion engines to buy electricity cars from abroad.

“Pay your gas and electricity bills regularly and stop illegal connections in your factories,” he also upon the factory owners.

He called upon the industrialists to invest in planned Economic Zones to get uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity. Moreover, a Gas Management Master Plan has been put together by the government. A plan to ensure tolerable electricity price for the consumers is in place.

Before finishing his address, Sanders informed the audience that  by the year 2041, the total demand for electricity in Bangladesh will reach 72,000 megawatt; but generation capacity will reach to 79,500 megawatt. Gas demand in industries will reach about 10,000 mmcfd by year 2041.

Abdus Salam, a former senior vice-president of DCCI, said the government should explore new gas fields to meet the country’s demand.

Mohammad Ali Khokon, President of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) said: “Gas is a very important matter in our factories. We urge the government not to raise the gas price.”

DCCI President Osama Taseer said that in March 2019, Petrobangla and gas distribution companies proposed average 102 percent gas tariff hike, of which 132 pc gas price hike for industrial users, 96pc gas price hike for captive power and 208pc gas price hike for power.

He said that for smoother industrial production we have to ensure uninterrupted gas supply as well as good PSI (Pound per Square Inch). Due to proposed gas tariff hike, input costs of industry may increase and may have impact on energy intensive industries like Fertilizer, Textile, Denim, RMG, Cement, Steel and allied sectors.

Dr Ijaz Hossan, professor of chemical engineering department of BUET and Dr Badrul Imam, Supernumerary professor of Geology of Dhaka University and others were present there.