Indian transhipment duty waiver will amount to betrayal of people

[fallstuff]

The proposed Chittagong-Kumming rail and road link will go through Myanmar. We and the Chinese have to pay Myanmar transit fee once the road and rail links are esralished.

Strategically, the Malacca srtaight is a choking point to China . We and the Chinese have a mutual interest to work on this project. Hasina asked for Chinese help on the port and the transortation link.

 

[Maira La]

indeed u r,have u any idea of ur geographic location,and how u r folded into India grip from the 3 sides

U aspire better trade relation with China and Myanmar,what if we start to charge huge transit fees for that,all u can do is move ur cargo to Myanmar through sea line and loose more money,so dont try to destroy the chess board

Hey bro, your grasp of the situation here is actually pretty naive.

Look at it from another angle, BD is stuck right in India's tummy. If you are knowledgeable in history, you will see how tactfully the US has avoided getting militarily involved in the affairs of it's small latin american neighbors since the Cuban crisis. It neither wants any trouble with Mexicio even though there is a large influx of illegal immigrants from the southern neighbor. US has adopted a strategy of keeping military conflicts far from its lands. Because the fire spreads when it's so close to home.
India is nowhere near the US in terms of economy+military+technology - what makes you think it can handle fire in populated BD from consuming itself? Any mass killing in BD, and you lose your internaional reputation + possibility of permanent security council position. Any economic embargo on BD, and we save billions a year by not importing indian crap. Any military maneuver by India will be followed by us granting Uncle Sam or the Dragon a chance to establish permanent military bases here for "peacekeeping" purposes, and that comes with a nuclear umbrella . You get screwed in multiple ways, and the smart people in your government know that.

About China and Myanmar: we still have the sea open to the south. In fact China needs us for faster access to BoB. So we will eventually let Chinese Naval presence here if India threatens us with naval blockade. But let's keep up the good relations for now, as long as "shining" India does not get too co*ky.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

NBR sticks to transshipment fees for Indian vessels

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has stuck to its position on charging transshipment fees against customs services as India is pushing for waiver.

The revenue board has prepared a paper clarifying its position on the fees after reviewing its pro and cons according to the instruction of the economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Mashiur Rahman, officials said.

In the paper, the customs has said they found the transit and transshipment fees justified, given the fact it is simply "charges against services."

The customs officials said they have slapped the fees as per customs act and it has not clashed with the river protocol agreement signed between India and Bangladesh.

"There's no free lunch. There must be a minimum charge for customs services," NBR chief Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed told the FE.

Hossain Ahmed, a Customs member, also echoed, saying:

"They (Indians) should be ready to pay charge for using our land and infrastructure."

"The transit facility has been provided with an objective of generating more revenue," said NBR member, who heads the customs department. "There is no logic to offer transit facility without transshipment fees."

"We think the country will be able to earn a substantial amount of revenue by offering the transit facilities by river, road and railway," he said.

Asked why the Indian vessels were stuck up at Khulna, the customs member said the customs authority has made it clear that all the vessels passing through Bangladeshi territorial waters have to pay transit and transshipment fees.

Already, the customs authority has collected Tk 0.6 million in transit fees from Indian vessels that arrived earlier, using the country's port, he said.

The government has slapped the transit and transshipment fees in the budget for the current financial year.

Customs officials said the NBR has to deploy additional customs officials and open up inactive ports for transit and transshipment.

The revenue board will have to activate the Ashuganj customs station and assign some of the customs officials to check Indian goods.

Two Indian vessels are still stranded in Satkhira of Khulna, pending green signal from the Bangladesh authorities.

Mr Ahmed said: "We have clearly stated that the Indian vessels have to pay the transit fee, but they arrived in the port anticipating that the authorities have waived the fees after bilateral talks with the government officials."

"Indian vessels are not willing to pay. Even they declined to release their goods with bank guarantee," said a senior customs official.

The customs assured the Indians of refunding the bank-guarantee if Dhaka decides to waive the charge, he said.

In a meeting on 'sub-regional cooperation' last month at Prime Minister's Office, the government has decided to review the issue of charging transshipment fee.

The meeting, chaired by Mashiur Rahman, asked authorities to examine economic and legal aspects of transshipment fees and to study the same for USA, Canada, and Amsterdam.

Officials said as per river protocol India has been providing Tk 52.5 million to the shipping ministry for using the river route.

NBR sticks to transshipment fees for Indian vessels

 

[LaBong]

Hey bro, your grasp of the situation here is actually pretty naive.

Look at it from another angle, BD is stuck right in India's tummy. If you are knowledgeable in history, you will see how tactfully the US has avoided getting militarily involved in the affairs of it's small latin american neighbors since the Cuban crisis. It neither wants any trouble with Mexicio even though there is a large influx of illegal immigrants from the southern neighbor. US has adopted a strategy of keeping military conflicts far from its lands. Because the fire spreads when it's so close to home.
India is nowhere near the US in terms of economy+military+technology - what makes you think it can handle fire in populated BD from consuming itself? Any mass killing in BD, and you lose your internaional reputation + possibility of permanent security council position. Any economic embargo on BD, and we save billions a year by not importing indian crap. Any military maneuver by India will be followed by us granting Uncle Sam or the Dragon a chance to establish permanent military bases here for "peacekeeping" purposes, and that comes with a nuclear umbrella . You get screwed in multiple ways, and the smart people in your government know that.

About China and Myanmar: we still have the sea open to the south. In fact China needs us for faster access to BoB. So we will eventually let Chinese Naval presence here if India threatens us with naval blockade. But let's keep up the good relations for now, as long as "shining" India does not get too co*ky.

No I don't think US or China would want to meddle into subcontinental mess. There is far greater chances to meddle in Kashmir, but they religiously avoid getting loggerhead with India for that issue. Anyway there is absolutely zero chance of any conflict with BD, I hope our policy makers and intelligence agencies aren't that incompetent.

What is BoB? Proposed rail network through Myanmar ends at BD, no go from there. There is only one reason China would want to finance this project, that is to access BD market. All the naval bases and China attacking India through BD are utter BS. Future China-Indo conflict will not be Naval one, neither China will use any BD-Myanmar-China railways for transporting troops to India. :s

 

[eastwatch]

Hey bro, your grasp of the situation here is actually pretty naive.

About China and Myanmar: we still have the sea open to the south. In fact China needs us for faster access to BoB. So we will eventually let Chinese Naval presence here if India threatens us with naval blockade. But let's keep up the good relations for now, as long as "shining" India does not get too co*ky.

India understands very well about our China card policy. So, the DADA will be careful not to antagonize us by its bullying tactic because it will take BD closer to China. It seems DADA is helpless when suddenly BD NBR has started collecting river transhipment fees, which was free from the time of Ziaur Rahman.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

FE Report

The government has decided to suspend the levying of transit and transshipment fees on Indian transports using its territory following relentless diplomatic persuasion by India, an adviser said.

The country's revenue authority will be asked to postpone levying this kind of charges on Indian cargoes, pending a final decision, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman said.

"World practice and principles should be followed in imposing transshipment fees and the practice prior to joint communiqué declared in India will be applicable now as the government is scrutinising the issue," he said.

So far this year, the government imposed transit and transshipment fees at a rate of Tk 10,000 per container and Tk 1,000 per tonne for the bulk cargo in line with the Finance Act 2010.

In August, the National Board of Revenue collected about Tk 0.6 million as transshipment fees.

Finance minister AMA Muhith and foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni had earlier favoured such fees, saying New Delhi should pay the transshipment fees for using Bangladesh land or waterways.

Meanwhile, the authorities are holding two Indian vessels at Shekbaria in Bangladesh for the last three weeks as they did not pay the transshipment fees.

When asked, NBR chairman Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed declined to make any comment.

An NBR official said the board has sent a letter to the finance minister, seeking his directive and a decision on the thorny issue is expected by next week.

"If a reverse decision is taken on the transshipment fees, the previously collected Tk 0.6 million will have to be reimbursed," he feared.

A foreign ministry official has earlier said the government is expected to get maximum Tk 2.0 billion as transshipment fees when it is fully operational in 2015 but the Indian authorities are bargaining with the issue.

The central government of India spends billions of rupees as transportation subsidy for ferrying cargoes from the mainland to Northeastern part through the chicken neck, he said.

In 1972, Dhaka signed Protocol on Internal Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) with New Delhi under which Indian goods can be shipped to its northeastern territory through Bangladesh and the government never collected any fee.

The protocol neither has any provision on transshipment fees nor it bars any party from imposing the same.

Earlier, India has sought tax waiver for transportation of over-dimensional consignments (ODC) using transit facilities of Bangladesh through Asuganj.

Indian High Commission in Bangladesh recently sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking necessary measure and conveying its content to other ministries for helping transportation of ODCs for Palatana project in Tripura.

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

 

[fallstuff]

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

FE Report

The government has decided to suspend the levying of transit and transshipment fees on Indian transports using its territory following relentless diplomatic persuasion by India, an adviser said.

The country's revenue authority will be asked to postpone levying this kind of charges on Indian cargoes, pending a final decision, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman said.

"World practice and principles should be followed in imposing transshipment fees and the practice prior to joint communiqué declared in India will be applicable now as the government is scrutinising the issue," he said.

So far this year, the government imposed transit and transshipment fees at a rate of Tk 10,000 per container and Tk 1,000 per tonne for the bulk cargo in line with the Finance Act 2010.

In August, the National Board of Revenue collected about Tk 0.6 million as transshipment fees.

Finance minister AMA Muhith and foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni had earlier favoured such fees, saying New Delhi should pay the transshipment fees for using Bangladesh land or waterways.

Meanwhile, the authorities are holding two Indian vessels at Shekbaria in Bangladesh for the last three weeks as they did not pay the transshipment fees.

When asked, NBR chairman Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed declined to make any comment.

An NBR official said the board has sent a letter to the finance minister, seeking his directive and a decision on the thorny issue is expected by next week.

"If a reverse decision is taken on the transshipment fees, the previously collected Tk 0.6 million will have to be reimbursed," he feared.

A foreign ministry official has earlier said the government is expected to get maximum Tk 2.0 billion as transshipment fees when it is fully operational in 2015 but the Indian authorities are bargaining with the issue.

The central government of India spends billions of rupees as transportation subsidy for ferrying cargoes from the mainland to Northeastern part through the chicken neck, he said.

In 1972, Dhaka signed Protocol on Internal Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) with New Delhi under which Indian goods can be shipped to its northeastern territory through Bangladesh and the government never collected any fee.

The protocol neither has any provision on transshipment fees nor it bars any party from imposing the same.

Earlier, India has sought tax waiver for transportation of over-dimensional consignments (ODC) using transit facilities of Bangladesh through Asuganj.

Indian High Commission in Bangladesh recently sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking necessary measure and conveying its content to other ministries for helping transportation of ODCs for Palatana project in Tripura.

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

Foootlickers
..

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

FE Report

The government has decided to suspend the levying of transit and transshipment fees on Indian transports using its territory following relentless diplomatic persuasion by India, an adviser said.

The country's revenue authority will be asked to postpone levying this kind of charges on Indian cargoes, pending a final decision, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman said.

"World practice and principles should be followed in imposing transshipment fees and the practice prior to joint communiqué declared in India will be applicable now as the government is scrutinising the issue," he said.

So far this year, the government imposed transit and transshipment fees at a rate of Tk 10,000 per container and Tk 1,000 per tonne for the bulk cargo in line with the Finance Act 2010.

In August, the National Board of Revenue collected about Tk 0.6 million as transshipment fees.

Finance minister AMA Muhith and foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni had earlier favoured such fees, saying New Delhi should pay the transshipment fees for using Bangladesh land or waterways.

Meanwhile, the authorities are holding two Indian vessels at Shekbaria in Bangladesh for the last three weeks as they did not pay the transshipment fees.

When asked, NBR chairman Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed declined to make any comment.

An NBR official said the board has sent a letter to the finance minister, seeking his directive and a decision on the thorny issue is expected by next week.

"If a reverse decision is taken on the transshipment fees, the previously collected Tk 0.6 million will have to be reimbursed," he feared.

A foreign ministry official has earlier said the government is expected to get maximum Tk 2.0 billion as transshipment fees when it is fully operational in 2015 but the Indian authorities are bargaining with the issue.

The central government of India spends billions of rupees as transportation subsidy for ferrying cargoes from the mainland to Northeastern part through the chicken neck, he said.

In 1972, Dhaka signed Protocol on Internal Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) with New Delhi under which Indian goods can be shipped to its northeastern territory through Bangladesh and the government never collected any fee.

The protocol neither has any provision on transshipment fees nor it bars any party from imposing the same.

Earlier, India has sought tax waiver for transportation of over-dimensional consignments (ODC) using transit facilities of Bangladesh through Asuganj.

Indian High Commission in Bangladesh recently sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking necessary measure and conveying its content to other ministries for helping transportation of ODCs for Palatana project in Tripura.

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

So what does Iajdani and his Indian fan club have to say about this betrayal?

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Clearly it was not a negotiating tactic but outright force and coercion. Typical bloody Indians.

 

[Tshering22]

Guys, what's the big deal in this? I don't know why some BD members are up in arms. We proposed something, you refused; that's it. Why raise hell for this? Even if we've made a repeat request, why so angry about it? This is simply a business dealing that has certain political advantages and demerits for both countries. There's no need to blow hot air into this. It was a proposal, you didn't like it, we repeat it and that's it.

You're talking as if we're threatening you with invasion. Seriously, quit this complex attitude of yours. It will do more people to people damage than any political harm.

 

[Tshering22]

Clearly it was not a negotiating tactic but outright force and coercion. Typical bloody Indians.

Mind your language. If you cannot digest a request from us, there's no need to use obscene words against us.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Mind your language. If you cannot digest a request from us, there's no need to use obscene words against us.

How can you equate a request with force and coercion? Did you not read the latest article properly or are you semi-literate? These damned Indians only see half the story.

 

[airuah]

IT is hardly surprising that India has sustained its pressure on Bangladesh to waive duties on transportation of cargoes from its west to northeast. According to a report front-paged in New Age on Tuesday, which quoted an official of the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh, the Indian high commissioner, Rajeet Mitter, iterated the request during what he termed a ‘routine call on’ the foreign secretary on Monday. Earlier, the Bangladesh customs authorities obstructed two Indian vessels, which were carrying goods from west to northeast India, from entering into Bangladesh territory after they had declined to pay transit fees. It is not unlikely that New Delhi would continue to exert pressure on Dhaka to secure the waiver.

What is also likely—and disquietingly so—is that the Awami League-led government might acquiesce to New Delhi’s request—demand would, perhaps, be more precise—sooner than later. Needless to say, the indications are too many to overlook.

It all began with the visit of the foreign minister to New Delhi in September 2009 when Bangladesh agreed to provide India access to Ashuganj port to facilitate ‘transport of over-dimensional consignments for the Palatana power project in Tripura’ as a ‘one-time’ deal. Then in January 2010, during the visit of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to New Delhi, the two countries agreed to declare Ashuganj in Bangladesh and Silghat in India as ports of call. Later, in April, at a joint meeting, both sides agreed that Bangladesh would collect duties under her customs laws and, subsequently on May 31, amended the ‘Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade’ and added Ashuganj and Shilghat as ports of call. Bangladesh also eventually allowed multi-module transit to India after adding Ashuganj as a new transhipment point between the two countries. As per the new arrangement, India can now carry its goods not only by waterways but also by roads and rail transports from one part of its territory to the other through Bangladesh.

As the government accommodated one Indian request after another, its key functionaries and crony ‘intellectuals’ and ‘experts’ trumpeted that Bangladesh stands to gain substantial benefit from transhipment of Indian goods, and that the annual revenue could be in the vicinity of Tk 20,000 crores, although a senior economist of the Bangladesh Institute for Development Studies, an associated research organisation of the state, showed that the annual revenue earning could at best be Tk 210 crore but most probably to the tune of Tk 70 crore. It now seems that, if India has its way, Bangladesh may as well say goodbye to any possibility of gaining any monetary benefit from the transhipment deal. Such a grim possibility could very well be closer to becoming a reality as none other than the prime minister’s adviser on economic affairs has recently requested the Internal Resources Division to waive charges on Indian vessels plying through Bangladesh river networks.

While we may criticise India for putting pressure on Bangladesh for undue advantages in bilateral trade, it will be difficult to fault it for relentlessly trying to advance its own interest. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of our government’s actions or inactions; after all, it has so far shown an inexplicable and, needless to say, inexcusable readiness to compromise on Bangladesh’s interest, not only economic but also geo-strategic. The government needs to realise its apparent eagerness to please its Indian counterparts is tantamount to betrayal of the people, who, as the constitution says, are their real masters.

Editorial

oh you again......ok.

 

[TopCat]

So what does Iajdani and his Indian fan club have to say about this betrayal?

I am disappointed!!!
When India cant even pay 1000 dollars how they could digest 2 billion dollar transhipment fees???

---------- Post added at 04:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:10 PM ----------

Guys, what's the big deal in this? I don't know why some BD members are up in arms. We proposed something, you refused; that's it. Why raise hell for this? Even if we've made a repeat request, why so angry about it? This is simply a business dealing that has certain political advantages and demerits for both countries. There's no need to blow hot air into this. It was a proposal, you didn't like it, we repeat it and that's it.

You're talking as if we're threatening you with invasion. Seriously, quit this complex attitude of yours. It will do more people to people damage than any political harm.

No India is such a cry baby, thats bothering us ..

 

[akash57]

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

FE Report

The government has decided to suspend the levying of transit and transshipment fees on Indian transports using its territory following relentless diplomatic persuasion by India, an adviser said.

The country's revenue authority will be asked to postpone levying this kind of charges on Indian cargoes, pending a final decision, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Mashiur Rahman said.

"World practice and principles should be followed in imposing transshipment fees and the practice prior to joint communiqué declared in India will be applicable now as the government is scrutinising the issue," he said.

So far this year, the government imposed transit and transshipment fees at a rate of Tk 10,000 per container and Tk 1,000 per tonne for the bulk cargo in line with the Finance Act 2010.

In August, the National Board of Revenue collected about Tk 0.6 million as transshipment fees.

Finance minister AMA Muhith and foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni had earlier favoured such fees, saying New Delhi should pay the transshipment fees for using Bangladesh land or waterways.

Meanwhile, the authorities are holding two Indian vessels at Shekbaria in Bangladesh for the last three weeks as they did not pay the transshipment fees.

When asked, NBR chairman Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed declined to make any comment.

An NBR official said the board has sent a letter to the finance minister, seeking his directive and a decision on the thorny issue is expected by next week.

"If a reverse decision is taken on the transshipment fees, the previously collected Tk 0.6 million will have to be reimbursed," he feared.

A foreign ministry official has earlier said the government is expected to get maximum Tk 2.0 billion as transshipment fees when it is fully operational in 2015 but the Indian authorities are bargaining with the issue.

The central government of India spends billions of rupees as transportation subsidy for ferrying cargoes from the mainland to Northeastern part through the chicken neck, he said.

In 1972, Dhaka signed Protocol on Internal Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) with New Delhi under which Indian goods can be shipped to its northeastern territory through Bangladesh and the government never collected any fee.

The protocol neither has any provision on transshipment fees nor it bars any party from imposing the same.

Earlier, India has sought tax waiver for transportation of over-dimensional consignments (ODC) using transit facilities of Bangladesh through Asuganj.

Indian High Commission in Bangladesh recently sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking necessary measure and conveying its content to other ministries for helping transportation of ODCs for Palatana project in Tripura.

Collection of transshipment fees from Indian cargoes suspended

..disgusting.