Dhaka, Mar 6 (UNB) - The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is likely to be harsh on inspecting the import of non-PSI items, as such import bypassing mandatory PSI system has increased manifold apparently to evade taxes and duties.

NBR sources said they would be more careful about the pricing of the non-PSI imported items.

ecently, the NBR has detected that some dishonest importers in connivance with some customs officials increased their import of non-PSI items showing lower prices.

BR sources said that the under-invoicing of imported items adversely affected the growth of local industries.

According to Chittagong Customs House sources, air-conditioner, refrigerator, readymade garments, cell-phones and its accessories, main parts of watches, imitation jewellery, agricultural machine parts, motor parts, spectacles, and electrical and electronic items are coming in large quantities in recent times.

“We have to curb the influx of non-PSI items for the sake of revenue generation and protecting our local industries,” a highly placed NBR official told UNB on Friday.

He said that shirts, pants, shoes and toys are coming from China and Thailand, sarees and three-pieces from India, and cosmetics and imitation jewellery from Singapore and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The NBR official said that most of the non-PSI imported items are produced locally.

According to a data from Chittagong Customs House, around 42,000 items without having mandatory PSI were imported in the recent past.

Chittagong Customs House sources said that the Customs authority released the items after imposing fine ranging from 10-20 percent of the imported value.

The unscrupulous importers showed very low price for the imported items. Despite giving the fine, they make huge profit as they declared very low prices for the imported items.

Citing an example, the NBR high official said that often the importers showed US$ 10 as the price of an imported item whose value will not be less than US$ 70.

In this connection, he mentioned that due to the Import Policy Ordinance they are bound to allow the import of non-PSI items after imposing small fines.

He said as there are no fixed prices for the non-PSI items, the Customs officials have to agree on the price that was stated by the importers.

“That’s why we decided to be harsh on the imported non-PSI items for the sake of revenue generation and save the local industries that have been providing huge employment.”

The total revenue earning target for the current fiscal year (2009-10) is set at Tk 79,461 crore which is 14.86 percent higher than the revised revenue figure for the last fiscal year.

Of the total revenue earning of this fiscal, income tax receipts are projected at Tk 16,560 crore, an increase of 22.32 percent over the revised figure of Tk 13,538 crore for the previous fiscal year.

Growth of value added tax (VAT) is estimated at 13.31 percent with the target set at Tk 22,795 crore.

Import duty earning has been projected at Tk 10,430 crore, a growth of 8.98 percent. The revised figure of the last fiscal year was Tk 9,570 crore.

Supplementary duty growth is set at 14.95 percent, which will raise the total supplementary duty earning to Tk 10,485 crore compared to the revised figure of Tk 9,121 crore for the previous fiscal year.