Scrap licence renewal system

The country's apex trade body yesterday demanded the removal of complexities businesses face while obtaining and renewing licences with a view to reducing the cost of doing business and making them competitive.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) also called for reducing the number of licences needed to run a business.

"Businesses have to spend extra money and time and go through a complex process to renew licences and certificates every year. Foreign investors become discouraged to invest in Bangladesh due to these complexities," said FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin. He urged the government to withdraw the annual licence renewal policy.

"Government organisations may audit but the renewal policy should not exist," he said at a seminar on the current situation of one-stop service (OSS) provided by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida).

The FBCCI and the Bida jointly organised the event at the headquarters of the trade body.

Jashim pointed out that safety and security-related certificates are needed to collect from eight to 10 organisations. "These should be issued from a single agency."

The FBCCI chief said for a trade licence, businesses have to pay up to Tk 1 lakh in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

"What types of services are they providing for which businesses have to spend Tk 1 lakh? Once I had to spend Tk 50,000 for a Tk 600 trade licence."

The Bida launched the OSS in 2016. At present, 58 services are available.

However, many business people don't know about the services that have been launched, said Jashim.

Sirazul Islam, executive chairman of the Bida, said: "Many concerns will be addressed if we can fully utilise the OSS. Business people have to use the services that have been introduced so far."

SM Kamal Uddin, a former director of the FBCCI, said businesses don't want any help from the government. They just want the removal of the barriers standing in the way of businesses.