Representatives or the country's leading chambers and trade associations at a meeting of the Import Consultative Committee in the city Tuesday sought protection to indigenous industries, says UNB.

They praised the government's liberal trade policy but at the same time demanded that it should in no way do harm to the local Industries.

The Ministry of Commerce arranged the day-long parley at a local hotel for a face-to-face discussion mainly with leaders of the private sector on their recommendations in formulating the forthcoming import policy (1993-96).

Leading chambers, including Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Metropolitan Chamber, Dhaka Chamber and the Chamber of Industries,

participated in the meeting conducted by Commerce Minister M K Anwar. Commerce Secretary and a host of officials aided the minister.

Different chambers, trade associations, sector corporations and ministries put forward 239 recommendations al the meeting.

The private sector representatives strongly resented frequent anomalies in the duty structure which, they alleged, keep duty rates on raw materials much higher than on finished products.

"We expected the Import policy to contribute to Industrialization but rampant Import of low duty finished products has exposed local produce to an inequitable competition," said FBCCI President Mahbubur Rahman.

Crowing number of local

industries are fast losing viability because of free import policy and of tariff anomaly, he said.

Vice-President of Metropolitan Chamber Azlmur Rahman said although his chamber was not against quantitative restrictions yet It strongly favoured interest ,of the local industries and employment.

'Legitimate tariff protection is acknowledged everywhere and we do hope that in the name of opening up of the economy, we shall not harm the local industries or sacrifice employment.' said Rahman.

Added ATM Waziullah, the newly-elected President of the country's largest chamber Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI): 'In principle we support the policy of liberal import, but the gov-

ernment must be vigilant about the survival of the domestic Industries.'

The Commerce Minister, looking very accommodative, agreed with the private sector representatives about the tariff anomaly. There are anomalies in the fiscal policy which, he said, still maintains higher tariff on raw materials than on finished item 'in total contradiction with the industrial policy."

Anwar sympathised with the local industries for their sufferings because of the anomaly and pledged to do his best to remove it

The minister, however, ruled out any protection to the Incompetitive industries. 'As a representative government, we can no longer protect in dustries at the cost of consumers."