Bangladesh waives duties on relief goods for Rohingya

Bangladesh government has decided to waive duties on foods and relief goods coming from different countries for the Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar. The decision will be implemented on case to case basis and doesn't include the Advance Income Tax (AIT), the National Board of Revenue said. According to the NBR, the decision was made considering the humanitarian crisis facing the Rohingya refugees who arrived in Bangladesh almost empty-handed. Around half a million members, mostly women and children, of the Muslim minority group in Myanmar's Rakhaine state have so far fled to Bangladesh since the military crackdown began. The officials said a policy has also been prepared to manage the influx of Rohingya and helping them reach the Refugee camps safely. NBR tagged five conditions for the waiver of duties. Firstly, the foods and relief materials will be distributed free of cost among Rohingya as humanitarian aid and cannot be used for commercial purposes. Secondly, customs duties will be levied at appropriate value and in HS code as per the Customs Valuation (Determination of Value for Imported Goods) Rules, 2000. Thirdly, before the customs are levied it needs to be confirmed whether the declaration of the relief goods is correct. Fourthly, a report on proper use of the relief goods will be submitted to the NBR through the deputy commissioners of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. Fifth, a deed with a Tk300 non-judicial stamp and name and signature of a foreign ministry official, not below the level of joint secretary, will be submitted to respective customs house commissioner. The deed requires foreign ministry, Dhaka to pay necessary customs and taxes if the foods and relief goods are, in any way, transferred, sold, used for other purposes and stolen or lost. Bangladesh has received assurance of aid from different countries for the Rohingya. The relief goods have already started arriving. However, the challenge is related to properly distribution of the relief goods among these large numbers of refugees, said the people concerned.