A survey report -- Impediments to Doing Business in Bangladesh -- by the Shoo-Koo-Kai (Japanese commerce and industries association in Dhaka) said the BEPZA (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority) and BoI do not extend adequate support to foreign investors, who have to move to the agencies concerned to get permissions.

Only eight companies sought work permits for 10 Japanese employees since 2002, the BoI said in a letter to Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka Matsushiro Horiguchi on August 17.

The letter mentioned BoI took 9.5 days on an average, including holidays, to issue work permits to the companies, excepting one. The BoI asked how many days the Japanese take to issue work permits to foreigners?

The survey report, however, alleged BoI took two to four months to issue such permission. The survey was conducted in January this year.

Refuting allegations about immigration procedure for priority passengers at Zia International Airport (ZIA), the letter pointed out a welcome desk has been operating at ZIA to provide services to foreign investors arriving in Bangladesh.

"The services of the welcome desk officials have been applauded by many foreign investors including foreign chambers and American chamber," the letter said.

Many countries provide similar services to investors to attract foreign direct investment, it added.

The BoI requested the Japanese Embassy to provide the names of companies, who participated in the survey as the source of primary information, to ascertain whether they had approached the BoI with any investment proposal during the last one year.

Japanese investors in Bangla-desh have accused government officials of demanding kickback for customs clearance, visa issuance, work permit, permission for selling products and for other services.

Matsushiro Horiguchi presented the survey report to Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman recently.

The Japanese Embassy is yet to reply to the BoI letter, sources said.