While exchanging views with the press here yesterday, the BGMEA leaders also put forward several recommendations for further promoting the highest export earning sector.

The recommendations include reduction of lead time of export and import, withdrawal of refundable VAT, fixation of acceptable charge for freight forwarding, easier availability of utility services and helping sick factories overcome problems.

The BGMEA leaders said the Middle East Trade & Engagement Act, 2003, placed at the US Congress proposing duty and quota free export facilities for 18 Muslim countries including Bangladesh, would make the competition in the open market easier for Bangladesh and double its export volume as well.

In this regard they mentioned that Bangladeshi garments have got duty free access to Australian market from this month, after availing of the duty and quota free access to the markets of Canada, Japan and Norway. The country needs similar facilities to the US market, they observed.

The leaders said that different formalities in export and import made it difficult for the garments exporters to comply with the lead time as agreed with the buyers.

They emphasised establishing a central bonded warehouse to decrease the lead time to almost half. In this respect they also stressed simplification of delivery process of both export and import goods and enhancement of efficiency of Chittagong Port.

They called for forming a committee comprising representatives from National Board Revenue, Bangladesh Bank and banks concerned to bring the freight forwarders under licensing process through security deposit and force them to abide by the law.

The BGMEA leaders said garments sector created employment opportunity for 18 lakh people while around 1.5 crore people depend directly or indirectly on it.

The sector fetched US$ 4583.75 million, equivalent to Tk 26315.62 crore, in the fiscal 2001-2002, they said.

BGMEA first Vice-president SM Nurul Haq read out a written statement in the meeting while association leaders Md Ershadullah, Mahabub Ali, SM Fazlul Haq, Shahabuddin and Helal Uddin Chowdhury were present.