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NBR to slash down land customs stations

Sohel Parvez
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) plans to slash the number of land customs stations from present 181 to ensure effective management of trades with neighbours, mainly India, officials said.
The tax authority takes the initiative as it finds that the volume of trades through most of these stations is low.
The NBR had earlier formed a committee, which in a draft policy suggested lowering the number of these stations.
"We want to rationalise the num-
ber of these stations to run them efficiently and under better management. We have already taken opinions from our field offices," said an NBR official, asking not to be named.
Of the 181 stations, NBR in 2009 suspended operations of 86 and declared 49 stations 'ineffective'.
Currently, stations at Benapole, Sonamasjid, Akhaura, Hilly, Burimari, Teknaf, Bhomra, Bibirbazar, Banglabandha and Tamabil remain active as trades through these points are good, the official said.
"The rest are partially active
or almost inactive," he said, "We will be able to pay more attention to them if their number is reduced."
He said the NBR also wants to frame a guideline on these stations so that it can consider requests or applications to open new stations in future.
Some of these stations were opened before 1971 to facilitate trade with India.
After the Liberation War, more such stations were opened on various occasions without assessing the potential of trade through them. FROM PAGE Bl
In many cases, some stations were introduced on political considerations to make the local people happy.
For example, two stations were opened at Gobrakura and Karaitali in Haluaghat of Mymensingh during the previous BNP and Awami League regimes, although the distance between the two points is only three kilometres.
There is also a lack of infrastructures and road connectivity in some stations. In some cases, the stations on the Indian part were not built, the official added.
He said the draft policy is in the primary stage and it will be finalised after taking views of all stakeholders.