Inadequate infrastructure hurts cross-border trade with India: BWCCI
Women entrepreneurs of the country are facing hassles at the customs check posts while crossing the border with neighbouring India due to inadequate infrastructure and poor facilities which hurts cross-border trade with India.
Selima Ahmad, president of BWCCI, came up with the observation while speaking at a national seminar on Promoting Women Entrepreneurship through Improving Regional cooperation at BRAC Inn in the capital yesterday.
There is only one toilet for women at the Petrapol Customs at Petrapole-Benapole border which is not even hygienic, the BWCCI president said adding: Custom officials from both Bangladesh and India are not cooperative and abuse their power to influence the tariff value.
There is no special instructions from the higher authority to the operation level custom officials for women entrepreneurs, she said while presenting the overall situation of women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh while doing business with India. EPB has fixed a limit of $ 500 to carry products but it is not enough for attending cross border fairs in India, she added.
FBCCI president Abdul Matlub Ahmad said FBCCI will continue to support women business entrepreneurs.
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said he would consider the issues mentioned by the BWCCI and requested women chamber to prepare a written draft with the obstacles faced by the women entrepreneurs during traveling to India.
