Raising allegation of violating rules on the use of vehicles procured under tax-free facilities, the foreign ministry has issued letters to all foreign missions, UN agencies and international organisations based in Dhaka to respect local laws.
The foreign missions, UN agencies, international organisations, donor agencies and other international staffers get the facility to import duty-free vehicles that are registered with yellow number plates instead of the local black and white plates.
The protocol wing of the foreign ministry issued the letters (commonly known in the diplomatic arena as note verbale) on March 11 asking the foreigners not to use the vehicles using yellow number plates inscribed with “on test” or “applied for registration.”
The police do not check papers of such vehicles, in honour of the foreigners.
According to motor vehicles rules, no vehicle can ply the road without securing registration from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority that operates under Communications Ministry and the orders issued by the police from time to time.
Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs, told the Dhaka Tribune that the protocol wing had issued the letters detecting some rules’ violation.
This is for the first time the foreign ministry issued letters in recent years as the authorities observed that many of the vehicles procured under tax-free facilities had no trace.
The owners are supposed to report to the ministry for re-registration and fitness checking. Issuance of the letter is also aimed at updating the ministry database on the vehicles registered with its permission.
“According to rule, they must seek prior permission from the foreign office to import vehicles for their use, but in many cases they inform us after the vehicles reach the port,” said Shahriar.
Again, he said, the foreigners managed to get their vehicles released from the port convincing the National Board of Revenue, without the knowledge of the foreign ministry.
“As the BRTA declines to register without a foreign ministry clearance letter, they use the vehicles with yellow number plates inscribing ‘applied for registration’ or ‘on test.’ This is a clear violation of the rules,” said the state minister.
He also said the proportion of vehicles in some of the missions and offices was more than their staffers.
Registration Rules
Upon prior permission from the foreign ministry, the foreign missions, the UN agencies and the international agencies must get clearance letters from the ministry and the NBR (lead agency for tax free vehicles import) to apply for registration from the BRTA.
These vehicles are differentiated with the yellow number plates with special series such as “Dut” or “Jas” in Bangla. But they have to abide by all local traffic rules.
If registration is given against a vehicle for a specific timeframe, the owner has to renew the registration upon its expiration. They must renew the fitness certificates from the BRTA.
In case of handover of the vehicles bought under tax-free facilities to a local party, they must inform the foreign ministry, the NBR and the BRTA. In such case, the buyer must pay the duties exempted earlier, deducting the depreciation set in the NBR order.
The foreign ministry officials say many of the foreign missions have already started coming to the protocol wing for re-registration letters.
From this year, the foreign ministry has been issuing registration letters for one year.
The ministry officials say they will have meeting with police officials asking them to check the papers of the vehicles with yellow number plates and take actions, if necessary.
