Importers suspend fruit import through Benapole

Importers suspend fruit import through Benapole

Importers have suspended the import of fruit through Benapole land port for an indefinite period protesting government decision to impose additional import duties.
No fruit-carrying trucks have entered the port since Tuesday morning as per the importers decision.
The move came after the government raised the supplementary duty on imported fresh fruit from 20 percent to 30 percent on January 9.
Importers said the additional duty has made fruit imports unfeasible, leading to the drastic step of halting imports altogether.
Fruit importer Abdul Mannan said that the Bangladesh Fresh Food Association had previously urged the government to withdraw the additional duty.
As their demand was not met the traders decided to stop fruit imports indefinitely.