The government has decided to ease the conditions for selling duty-free cars brought by former members of parliament (MP).
At least 50 luxury cars are waiting for release at the Chittagong port. However, the lawmakers who had brought them duty-free are not in a state to own them now.
As a result, the government has decided not to return the cars to their manufacturers, as the state would lose revenue in the process.
Finance Adviser to the interim government Saleh Uddin Ahmed on Wednesday told reporters that he has already instructed the authorities to ease the conditions so that these cars can be sold in the local market.
According to Chittagong Port sources, the National Parliament was declared dissolved before the 50 luxury cars brought through the duty-free facility reached Chittagong Port. As a result, the importers have to pay a duty of Tk6 crore now to release the cars.
Officials at the Chittagong Customs House said that no one will benefit from the duty-free facility now as currently there is no MP in the country. However, for each 4000cc car, the importers must pay 826% tax.
They said that a few days before the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, some former MPs had released their cars from the port. Among them were former MP and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and actor Ferdous Ahmed. However, many ministers and MPs, including Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, could not release his car from the port.
According to customs sources, most vehicles under the tariff concession were imported from Japan and Singapore. The engine capacity of Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Jeep and Toyota Land Cruiser Station Wagon is 4,000cc. MPs can import cars through duty-free facilities once every five years. Tax on such vehicles can be up to 810% under the current customs provision.
In the budget proposal for the current financial, a 25% duty was proposed on the cars imported by MPs. However, it was not imposed in the final budget.
