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Bangladesh battery makers accuse India of hampering exports

Ershadul Huq in Dhaka

Bangladeshi battery makers allege Indian customs officials continue to hamper their exports to that country even though New Delhi has refused to slap anti-dumping duty on them.

Battery manufactures claim a consignment of imported batteries from Bangladesh was confiscated from a retail outlet at Guwahati in Assam on charges of 'illegal import'.

"Exporters, including Rahim Afrooz Batteries Limited, are being harassed as the anti-dumping authority of India in again attempting to investigate battery exports from Bangladesh," said Niaz Rahim, president of Bangladesh Accumulator and Battery Manufacturers Association.

He said harassment continues despite repeated requests from the Bangladesh government to resolve the issue under the provisions of South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement.

Rahim said the Indian anti-dumping authority has recently sought consent of Bangladeshi manufacturers for physical inspection of their factories. This has led BABMA members to conclude that the anti-dumping petitioners Exide Industries and Amara Raja Batteries Limited are wrongly influencing some quarters in the Indian government.

"Battery exports from Bangladesh to India over the last five to seven months have leveled to a static volume. Importers in India fear eventual imposition of anti-dumping duty on Bangladesh import, making their investment risky," he said Monday.

"BABMA members have met with the concerned authorities in Dhaka and New Delhi. If the export of a small item like battery to India is scrutinised under false pretexts and wrong allegations, it will hamper prospects of any possible improvement in bilateral trade between the two countries."

Earlier, a move to slap anti-dumping duty on automotive lead acid battery exports to India was rejected by New Delhi March 21 after former Bangladesh commerce minister Abdul Jalil raised the issue with his Indian counterpart Murasoli Maran during his visit to India earlier in the month.

Jalil had said Indian manufacturers furnished some wrong and misleading information regarding Bangladeshi battery exports, volume and prices. He said both countries are committed to promote regional trade and investment with a view to alleviating poverty.

According to sources, Indian customs authorities revived an anti-dumping petition in May against Bangladeshi lead acid battery exports. As a result, Indian customs authorities were harassing Bangladeshi battery exporters.

Exide Industries and Amara Raja Batteries had filed the petition, saying huge numbers of lead acid batteries are making their way into India from Bangladesh, Japan, Korea and China due to easing of import restrictions and bringing their import under open general license.

Indo-Asian News Service

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