The government has chosen 176 businessmen as the commercially important persons (CIPs) for their contributions to exports in 2018.
The commerce ministry announced the names of the CIPs in a notice issued on December 7.
“Soon, the CIP cards will be handed over to the businessmen chosen for their best performance in exports in 2018,” Additional Commerce Secretary Hafizur Rahman told The Business Post on Thursday.
“We are also working to select businessmen to award CIP cards for 2019 and 2020,” he added.
The CIP card giving ceremony was delayed two years due to Covid-19.
As per the government policy, 138 are chosen as CIPs (export) from the product export category and 38 from the ex-officio category of different chambers and trade bodies.
The CIPs in the ex-officio category are directors of the FBCCI representing different trade bodies and associations.
The CIP awardees have been selected considering their export earnings, employment creations, decent working conditions, payment to the workers and employees, tax payment to the government exchequer, innovation in marketing, products technology uses, and management.
According to the guideline, a businessperson is considered for the status, if he or she earns $0.15 million by exporting products or services in the areas such as agriculture, agro-processing, light engineering, handicraft, plastic, melamine, computer software, computer services and data processing.
The target of export earnings is set at $1.5 million for other sectors like readymade garments, jute, leather, frozen foods, pharmaceuticals, specialised textiles, and shipbuilding.
The CIPs will enjoy some privileges for one year.
The privileges include a pass and car sticker to enter the Secretariat, invitation to national events, and letter of introduction from the foreign ministry for travelling abroad.
The CIP cardholders will also enjoy various facilities including priority in seat reservations by the government transport agencies such as Bangladesh Biman.
