Electronics manufacturers demand local  industrial protective import policy

Bangladesh Refrigerator Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BRMEA) sought for altering the existing import policy to protect the great interest of the fastest growing local electronics and hi-tech products manufacturing industry.

The local electronics manufacturers’ platform also called upon the government to issue SROs (Statutory Regulatory Order) to resolve the prevailing barriers to boost up the local industries.

The association also urged to give highest priority to the local industries’ made products in the government’s procurement.
Leaders of the trade bodies also consented with the logical demands of the BRMEA.

In this regard, The BRMEA has recently submitted a letter to the Prime Minister (PM) appealing for taking necessary initiatives for the remedy.

Copies of the letter have also been sent to the PM’s Economic Adviser; Cabinet Secretary; PM’s Chief Secretary; ERD, Housing and Public Works Ministry, Commerce Ministry, Industries Ministry and the Central Procurement Technical Unit’s Acting Secretaries and Director Generals.

The letter, signed by the BRMEA president, said that Bangladesh is now self-sufficient in manufacturing refrigerator, freezer, television, air conditioner, compressor, elevator or lift, mobile phone, laptop, computer, switch-socket, LED light, fan, home and kitchen appliances etc. After meeting the local market’s demand, these locally finished world class and reasonable prices’ products are being exported to a good number of countries in the world.

Now, imports of such products from abroad at high prices are meaningless, waste of the foreign currencies and also a big hindrance to the sustainable flourishment of the local electronics manufacturing industry. 

Mentionable, many countries, including the neighbouring country India, has formulated domestic industrial protective import policy. Recently, India banned the imports of television, air conditioner with refrigerant and some other electronics appliances for the great interest of its local industries.

Recently, Bangladesh started the exports of locally finished air conditioner and television to India as new export items. In the coronavirus pandemic situation, Bangladesh exported around US$3.14 lakh worth air conditioners to India during the July-November period of the current fiscal 2020-21.

Thus, the bans on imports of AC and Television by the Indian government Such import made a big blow to the Bangladesh’s electronics manufacturing industry as well as the export earnings. 

Like India, Bangladesh government should also ban the imports of electronics and hi-tech products for the greater interest of the local manufacturing sector in this sector, said BRMEA General Secretary Jahidul Islam.

Bangladesh made world class electronics are now being exported to the world’s many countries, including Europe, saying it he noted that but, the same quality products of the local industries are being considered as B-grade/C-grade and neglected in the procurement of the government offices.

As a result, he added, the sustainable progress of the country’s fastest growing electronics and ICT devices manufacturing industries would be hindered.

In this regard, the BRMEA president sought for giving priority to the locally produced hi-tech products in the government procurement.

He also demanded the alteration of the existing import policy and also urged for the formulation of local industrial protective new policy.

Dwelling on this matter, Industries Secretary KM Ali Azam said that the formulation of new import policy to protect the domestic industry has already been started. They emphasized on the hike of import duties on those products, which are produced by the local industries. They are also thinking of ban on the imports of  such products.

The Prime Minister instructed the government offices to give priorities to the local products aimed to boost up the local manufacturing industries’ growth, he mentioned and added that they gave importance on implementing the PM instruction.
Siddiqur Rahman, senior vice-president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that some new potential industrial sector like electronics, pharmaceuticals, leather and footwear have been flourished in Bangladesh during the recent years. The products of these new sector has been exporting in many countries.

He opined that imports of the local industries homogenous products should be reduced quickly to accelerate the present growth of the local manufacturing industries.

Commerce Ministry’s Additional Secretary Md. Hafizur Rahman said that the government is so cordial in boosting the local manufacturing based industries.