The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) recently held an interactive meeting with the four pre-shipment inspection (PSI) companies' representatives and discussed ways and means to solve the importers' problems. The DCCI leaders complained that the delay they had to face in obtaining PSI certificates had been hampering their business activities severely. Even in many cases the PSI companies had allegedly been contesting the importers' quoted prices without proper justification. Besides, the companies sometimes did not take into account the reduced price of some imported items, although a number of countries had recently slashed prices of many exportable items. The PSI companies assured the business leaders of looking into the matter seriously and agreed to issue acknowledgement of the documents received to mention their deficiencies before shipment. The government has recently grouped the countries around the globe into five blocs and appointed four PSI companies, as a continuation of the provision of compulsory pre-shipment inspection. Presided over by the DCCI acting president Manzur-ur-Rahman Ruskin, the meeting was informed that some exporters in the countries of origin were also responsible for creating difficulties in the appropriate documentation process and thus causing the importers' delay. DCCI former president MH Rahman called for alerting the exporters about the issue and urged the PSI companies to evolve a better and accountable system to remove the importers' woes. BIVAC managing director A Quyyum Khan said valuation is the toughest job for them, since the importers blame them if it is "too high", whereas customs authorities penalise them if it is "too low".
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