No duty on import of textbook paper

The government has taken an initiative to withdraw tariff on imported textbook paper in the face of protests from local printers following its invitation of international tender for printing primary level textbooks for the academic year 2011.
The primary and mass education ministry sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue to that effect yesterday, said officials of the ministry, and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).
The move is aimed at making it easier for the local printers of textbooks to participate in the international bidding.
The government recently for the first time decided to print all textbooks of classes I to III through an international tender for ensuring quality, and to avoid the risk of missing the deadlines for distribution.
It also decided for the first time to print four-colour books for classes I and II, which will require higher quality paper than what the government usually supplies to printers for textbooks. And that will in turn require the local printers to import the paper.
The local printers have been protesting against the invitation of international tender for more than a month now, alleging that the local printing industry will be destroyed as a result of the move.
They, on many occasions, said that the local printers will not have any chance of winning in the international tender since they have to pay 57 percent tax on imported printing paper, a burden that is not mandatory on foreign bidders.
The local printers also do not have the adequate manpower and technical qualifications for competing successfully in the international tender, they added.
As a part of their ongoing protests, local printing press owners, and the industry staff formed a human chain in front of the NCTB office in the capital yesterday, where they announced that they will refrain from printing books of classes IV and V as well, if the government goes on with the international tender.
Osman Gani, the owner of Agamee Prakashani, said, "We hope the government will withdraw the tariff on imported textbook paper to help the local printers."
He also said the number of work packages should also be increased to distribute the work among many printers.
To resolve the crisis and to ensure participation of local printers in the tender, the primary and mass education ministry, and NCTB took the decision of tariff withdrawal. It is now up to the National Board of Revenue whether the initiative will finally be implemented.
"It would be possible to print attractive and quality textbooks for the children if the government's move is implemented," said NCTB Chairman Mostofa Kamal Uddin yesterday.
NCTB also took an initiative to divide the printing work into small lots to accommodate small local printers, he added.
The government will have to print 22.87 crore free textbooks for the next academic year, according to education ministry sources.
In the current academic year the government distributed around 18.68 crore free textbooks among approximately 2.76 crore primary and secondary school students, but due to the free distribution the demand rose for the next year.