Importers Complain of High Charge at Birgunj ICP

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Importers Complain of High Charge at Birgunj ICP

February 22: Nepali importers have complained of excessive charge under various heads at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) of Birgunj, which has come into operation since one year.

President of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gopal Kedia, said that although the government constructed the ICP to ease trading, it has instead caused burden to the importers.

“Importers are forced to pay extra charges for parking, entry charge, weight of the goods among others,” said Kedia, adding, “This has only increased the cost of the goods.”

The effective utilization of the country’s main customs point still remains a far cry due to infrastructural barriers and unclear policies.

Shyam Prasad Bhandari, chief of the Birgunj Customs Office, says that the newly-built ICP accounts for 60 percent of the total import in the region. The remaining 40 percent of the goods still enter the country from the old customs office at Inarwa of Birgunj. 

According to the importers, the ICP charges Rs 700 for importing goods in a container, Rs 428 in small vehicles and Rs 200 to 600 in a truck or lorry.  A source at the ICP told New Business Age that an importer has had to pay as much as Rs 1.2 million as the charge and fine just for importing one consignment.

Importers have also complained that the ICP is charging them customs duty at its whims. They say that they are compelled to pay for the goods on the basis of weight even for the ones which do not require weighing.

Nepal Intermodal Transportation Development Board has been operating the ICP in the Nepali side while the Land Ports Authority of India has been given the responsibility to oversee the ICP in the Indian side. The Nepali importers complain that they have to pay unfair charges to the Indian side as well.

Gehendra Mohan Shahi, who has been appointed by the board as the in-charge of the ICP, said that customs duty charged by the ICP is lower than that of Biratnagar and Bhairahawa.

“The current charge has been adjusted by increasing 10 percent annually on the charge fixed 17 years ago,” said Shahi adding, “It cannot be termed as excessive charge.”

 

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