KATHMANDU: Though Nepali exports are the major foreign currency earner, exporters here are facing hard times due to demands for bribe and insecurity at the customs office. In an interaction programme organised jointly organised by Export Promotion Council of Nepal (ECON) and Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN) here today, exporters complained of the bribe factor and insecurity they face at the customs office.

Exporters said the charge to be taken at the customs office in transit is Rs 140 while the duty charge is Rs 678 for an individual company but they are forced to pay extra money to get the process completed on time. They also complained of lack of proper management and worker identification problem, due to which they are exposed to several risk. More than 150 exporters visit the customs office daily.

However, Mukti Narayan Poudel, Customs Chief at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Cargo Complex assured of security and work efficiency at the customs office with service guaranteed to exporters. Poudel also urged exporters to avoid people asking for bribes at the workplace.

“We will bring a corruption control mechanism and implement a new customs system,” said Poudel. ECON president Naresh Das talked about the availability of export documentation forms under ASYCUDA System at the TIA customs.