Fresh move to deal with anti-dumping measures

The government last week reshuffled a committee to deal with anti-dumping measures in the wake of growing concerns expressed by local manufacturers over possible dumping from competing countries, sources said.
The committee will identify the sectors that are facing challenges both in local and international markets for alleged dumping from foreign firms.
The government a year ago formed the committee but it failed to identify the private sectors faced with dumping problem and submit any report to the government in this regard within the stipulated timeframe.
The commerce ministry has asked the reshuffled committee to submit a report within shortest possible time identifying the sectors that are actually facing the problems.
The committee will also give suggestions to the government as to how private sectors can initiate measures to lodge complaints at the WTO (World Trade Organisation) for the dumping.
The five-member committee comprising officials from Tariff Commission, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), WTO Cell at the commerce ministry and NBR has already started its work, sources said.
A high official of Bangladesh Tariff Commission on Monday said along with identifying the concerned sectors, the committee will examine the existing anti-dumping rules and then disseminate information to the businesspeople so they can take safeguard measures to protect their industries.
The country's ceramic, dry cell battery, razor blade, paints and yarn manufacturers have apprised the Tariff Commission and National Board of Revenue (NBR) of their problems stemming from dumping acts mainly by neighbouring countries.
The manufacturers expressed concerns over dumping of products from such competing countries as China, Thailand and India.
The businesspeople said products from mainly those countries have flooded the local market, which, they assume, were exported at lower prices than those in their own countries.
As per WTO rules, export of any product may be termed dumping if a company sells the product at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its home market.
A high official of the commerce ministry said although a number of manufacturers expressed concerns over the issue, they never filed any formal complaints to the government to take action under anti-dumping rule. Bangladesh adopted an anti-dumping rule in 1995 following an agreement at the WTO.
As per the WTO deal, a company can lodge complaint to its government against dumping and the government can bring it to the notice of the anti-dumping body at WTO.
"Our manufacturers lack information. They have poor knowledge about products' prices in other countries and don't have adequate capacity to analyse the price gap," a high official of the Tariff Commission said.
Local manufacturers are also unaware of the process of filing anti-dumping complaints against any foreign competing company, the official added.
Meanwhile, filing of complaints at WTO is continuing and WTO data show 22 countries have initiated a total of 332 new investigations under anti-dumping agreement during December 2007-June 2008 period.
China, Argentina, India, European countries and United States are in top position among the countries reporting new initiations.
Bangladesh never filed any complaint at the WTO under the anti-dumping agreement despite it experienced anti-dumping duty from India.
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