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JS committee blasts EPB

Failure in moving against RMG export visa forgery
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) came under fire at a meeting of the parliamentary watchdog on the Commerce Ministry Tuesday for its failure to take adequate measures against visa forgery in garment export to USA. reports UNB.
"Apart from damaging the image abroad, such forgeries deprived the country of export earnings to the tune of Tk 4.500 crore last year." the Standing Committee members noted.
The lawmakers accused a section of garment exporters and EPB officials of being involved in the corrupt practice.
It asked the EPB to find out and punish those who were involved in the mischievous act.
The committee suggested strict enforcement of the provision of fining and cancelling licences to protecting the garment sector which fetches for the country 75 per cent of its total export earnings and employs 1.5 million workers, 90 per cent of whom are women.
Opposition MP Prof Shahidul Islam proposed formation of a sub-committee headed by Raziuddin Ahmed
Raju. Chairman of the Standing Committee, to find out irregularities and the persons involved.
"The EPB could not detect any forged visa document until the US authorities did it and referred to the EPB," the meeting noted with anguish.
"Even then, a section of the EPB officials tend to legalise those cases in exchange for money." Prof Shahidul Islam said.
He referred to the suspension of frozen food export to EU following evidence of unscrupulous acts by a section of exporters. The government had to go for hectic lobbying to resume frozen food export to EU.
Meeting sources said the EPB vice-chairman and other officials present in the meeting could not satisfy the committee members as to how many exporters have so far been fined or have faced cancellation of licences for visa forgery.
Commerce Minister Abdul Jalil, who attended the meeting, acknowledged irregularities and disorder in different organs of his ministry. He sought three
months' time from the committee to seen how far he could put them in order.
The committee underscored the need for setting up back-ward-linkage Industries to feed the garment sector and enabling It to meet the quota-free trade regime beyond 2004.
But it said the line ministries. BGMEA. BTMA and other associations In the sector should interact more to work out a concrete plan in this re-gard.
The committee reviewed Bangladesh's participation in trade fairs abroad and called upon EPB to make efforts to project local products more attractively before international buyers.
Chaired by Committee Chairman Raziuddin Ahmed Raju, the meeting was attended by Meer Sakawat All (Daru), Muhibur Rahman (Manik). Master Mojlbur Rahman. Biren Shikder, Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and Prof Shahidul Islam.
Acting Secretary of the Commerce Ministry Golam Rahman and other officials were also present.