Editors concerned
The Editors' Council yesterday expressed grave concern at the budget proposal for increasing import duty on newsprint.
In a statement, the Council said the country's newspaper industry, which had already been beset with many problems, would plunge into a bigger crisis if the proposal was implemented.
The government decision would hamper free flow of information, as most people in the country still depended on print media for information. And any hindrance to free flow of information was not desired in a democratic system of government, said the Editors' Council, an organisation of editors of the country's top newspapers.
The proposal for imposing abnormal import duty on newsprint, an essential raw material for newspapers, was not consistent with the policy of freedom of the mass media and free flow of information, read the statement signed by Golam Sarwar, editor of daily Samakal.
While placing the budget for fiscal 2013-14 in parliament, Finance Minister AMA Muhith proposed raising the existing import duty on newsprint from 3 percent to 25 percent. He also proposed increasing by 9 percent import duty on plates used in the printing industry.
At present 23 percent duty, including 3 percent import duty, vat and tax, is charged on import of each tonne of newsprint. If the new proposal is implemented, the figure will stand between 57 and 58 percent, and will increase the overall publication cost by 28 percent.
The price of imported newsprint has already gone up in recent times, along with printing and transport costs. If the newly formed Wage Board announces its award, salaries and allowances of employees in newspapers would go up substantially.
And it would be very difficult for the newspaper industry to bear the high costs of importing newsprint in such a situation.
The Council noted that the logic mentioned in the budget that the proposed budgetary provisions would save the local newsprint industry did not conform to reality.
Of the country's 67 paper mills, only two or three produce roll newsprint used by newspapers.
Since the local mills are not capable of supplying good quality newsprint, it is illogical to impose extra import duty on newsprint in the name of saving these industries, according to the Council.
Besides, the quality of the locally produced newsprint is low.
The Council urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the finance minister to take steps to withdraw the proposal on increasing import duty on newsprint. It hoped the parliament members would also play a positive role in this regard.
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