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Old office equipment to face import bar

Commerce secretary discloses govt's next move

Star Business Report
The government is likely to finalise the import policy for 2012-15 restricting imports of scrap, old computers and other office equipment to prevent environmental hazards, Commerce Secretary Ghulam Hossain said yesterday.
The restriction is aimed at preventing attempts to dump old electronics computers, photocopiers, fax machines, printers and other office equipment in the name of recycling, he said.
"Recycling of an old computer and other office equipment is more expensive than making a new one. These are wastes and harmful to the environment,"
Hossain told reporters after a daylong consultation with different stakeholders, including businesses, on the draft import policy at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka.
He said many people from abroad want to donate old computers and other office equipment because recycling of these items is difficult.
"Bangladesh should not be used as a dumping place for old computers and other office equipment."
Hossain, however, said the import of toxicity-free old vessels would be allowed to support domestic steelmakers considering the country's need to develop infrastructure, industries and housing.
"As steel import is expensive for a country like us, we have to consider a trade-off. We need old ships for infrastructure development and industrialisation of the country," he said.
"At this initial stage of development, we can not afford to discourage scrap vessel imports," he said, adding that old ships with toxicity free certificates from the exporting country may be allowed.
The legally binding import policy, which the government renews every three years, may become effective in July, as the current policy expires in June.
The import policy, which is almost at final stage, will focus on continuation of the government
objective of trade liberalisation.
At the same time, it will also aim to protect the domestic industry to speed up economic growth, create jobs and accelerate the pace of poverty reduction.
Hossain said the policy aims to protect the interests of domestic industries keeping in mind the vision of becoming a mid-income country by 2021 and it was prepared in the light of the export policy.
"We tried to make the import policy complimentary to achieve the vision ofour export policy," hesaid.
According to secretary, the new policy will reduce the cost of doing business. "We are going to prepare it for the interest of public health," Hossain said, adding that foreign food items will face a number of new standard certification requirements to get clearance from ports.
Some 40 standardisation requirements suggested by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution have been included in the new import policy, he said.
Imports of some items, including baby food, powdered milk and non-branded food products that may create health risk, may face stringent control before entry.
Earlier, officials said the new import policy will ease procedures for capital machinery and basic raw material imports to support industrialisation