Thaindian News

Dhaka, April 17 (IANS) Bangladesh should charge its neighbours between $4 and $50 per tonne of goods in transit fees depending on routes chosen by the user, the country’s Tariff Commission on transit has said.

The rate of charge may be equally applicable to India, Nepal and Bhutan, it has said in a report submitted to the government.

The rate will be fixed at an inter-ministerial meeting.

The committee led by Tariff Commission Chairman Mujibur Rahman made its report on the basis of reports of five sub-committees on transit route, charge, volume of traffic, investment, and benefit.

Dhaka is expected to fix rates in the wake of agreement among the South Asian neighbours to facilitate each others’ goods’ movement.

An understanding was reached in January last year when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited New Delhi and has been followed among the neighbours.

Dhaka is keen on the optimum use of its ports, Chittagong, Khulna and Mongla by neighbours, but the move has been slammed by the political opposition.

Not charging transit fees for a consignment of heavy equipment that India moved across its territory to reach Tripura state was recently criticized.

The government clarified that it was following the WTO rules.

Mujibur Rahman told The Daily Star newspaper: “We have submitted the report online and recommended the imposition of charge in line with World Trade Organisation rules.”

The report said, for ease of collection of fees and reducing hassle of transit traffic, the combined “transit charge” can be collected at a single point, for example, at the time of entry of the transit vehicles at the bordering customs stations.