Tax
Govt has no complete list of public services against which it levies fees or charges: Finance Ministry document
The government of Bangladesh has no complete list of public services against which it levies fees or charges.
“There are thousands of public services against which the government levies fees or charges, but there is no complete list of such fees and charges and when those were imposed,” according to an official document of the Finance Ministry.
According the official document titled ‘Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)’ of the Finance Division of the Finance Ministry, the government has partially set up an online database of all non tax revenue (NTR) items with the fees, charges or prices and their dates of imposition.
“This partial database has opened scope with the hope of increasing NTR income manifolds from administrative fees,” it said.
On the other hand, the government is not only focusing on enhanced revenue mobilisation from NTR by raising fees or charges, but also putting its best effort to ensure efficient and satisfactory service delivery.
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The government has taken numerous initiatives to make service delivery systems paperless and to minimise human deployment in this system. This is one of the key features to building Smart Bangladesh by 2041, the document said.
The government has multiplied public investment during the last one and a half decade, of which the SOEs/Autonomous Bodies (ABs) have enjoyed capital support either in the form of loans or equities.
Loans are registered under government accounts through Subsidiary Loan Agreements (SLAs) and thereby interest is charged.
“However, there is no consolidated database for equity investments of the government and therefore there is no precise estimate for dividend income,” the official document said.
The government has taken the initiative to create an exhaustive database for equity investments in the SOEs/ABs as well as establish a Financial Reporting Council for setting standard financial statements to ensure proper assessment of these organisations.
According to the ‘Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)’, With the economic advancement of the country the scope and volumes of public services have evolved and expanded.
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Government organisations are engaged in delivering various new services in new forms to the public.
The government has taken initiatives to explore such novel and voluminous services against which fees/charges may be collected through organising stakeholders’ consultation workshops, seminars, etc.
As per the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division, some Tk 5343 billion will come from tax revenue sector in the 2024-25 fiscal year and Tk 6463 billion in 2025-26 fiscal year.
In the next two fiscal years, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will provide Tk 5095 billion and Tk 6171 billion.
From the Income Tax wing, the collection will be Tk 1753 billion for the next fiscal while Tk 2123 billion for 2025-26 fiscal, and the collection from import duties will be Tk 1511 billion and Tk 1830 billion respectively.
From the VAT and supplementary Duties, the revenue collection will be Tk 1831 billion and Tk 2218 billion respectively.
The non-NBR tax for the 2024-25 fiscal and 2025-26 fiscal will be Tk 248 billion and Tk 292 billion respectively with non-tax revenue collection will be Tk 529 billion and Tk 634 billion respectively.
The target for running 2023-24 fiscal is Tk 5000 billion with Tk 4500 billion from tax revenue. Of the total amount, Tk 4300 billion will come from NBR through Tk 1480 billion from income tax, Tk 1275 billion from import duties, Tk 1545 billion from VAT and supplementary duties. Some Tk 200 billion will be collected from the non-NBR sector while Tk 500 billion from the non-tax revenue sector.
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NBR’s three-pronged strategy to boost revenue collection
Aiming to significantly boost revenue collection from domestic sources, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is adopting a three-pronged approach.
These are: digital transformation, expansion of tax net, and enhancing administrative capacity.
The core idea is to make tax payments easy and transparent to improve taxpayer services which in turn will help NBR to collect more revenue, according to an official document.
According to the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division of Finance Ministry, the government has taken some Major reform measures to materialise the move.
The VAT & Supplementary Duty Act 2012 has been implemented in July 2019. With the implementation of the new act, the collection of VAT and supplementary duty is expected to receive a significant boost in the medium term. After the initial hiccup and the shortfall due to the outbreak of COVID-19, revenue collection accelerated in FY22.
The government has enacted the new Customs Act, which replaced the Customs Act 1969. International best practices in customs, including that of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the revised KYOTO Convention and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement have been incorporated here.
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The law aims to harmonise and simplify customs processes to facilitate the collection of custom duties.
The new Income Tax Act is also expected to create an enabling environment for taxpayers, streamline income tax assessment and collection, and facilitate domestic and foreign investment.
To implement the new VAT law, the NBR undertook the ‘VAT Online Project (VoP)’ which was in operation since 2013 and concluded in June 2021.
Under the VOP, the official document said that the three important automation measures have been completed. First, the Online VAT Registration began in March 2017. Again, the central registration system has been in force since July 2019. The NBR has introduced online return submission in July 2019. The digital filing system has been introduced in the form of online submission of VAT returns.
The NBR has rolled out the electronic payment (e-payment) of customs duties in 2017, income tax in 2012 and VAT in 2020. Income tax can be paid through MFS (mobile financial services) as well.
To facilitate real-time deposit of government money to the national exchequer, the government has launched the Automated Invoice Portal. This Automated Challan (also known as A-Challan) will act as the receipt window of the government. The payment of income tax has already been brought under the A-Challan system on a pilot basis.
The NBR now plans to expand its use for payment of VAT and customs duties. The A-Challan will ensure the timely deposit of money including the prevention of fake return submission and revenue evasion.Moreover, the discrepancy between the amount of revenue collected by the NBR and the accounts given by the Accounting Offices will be eliminated.
The Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) said that individual taxpayers can now submit their tax returns online.
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The NBR has successfully launched eTDS Environment for easy and hassle-free processing of income tax at the source. With the introduction of this system, taxpayers’ time, cost and visits have been reduced to almost zero. Taxpayers can now submit fourteen reports in the eTDS environment.
To stop evasion in VAT and enhance VAT collection, the government has introduced Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFD) with a sales data controller mechanism.
The government has already installed 9270 EFD/SDC (Sales Data Controller) machines. NBR has selected 24 sectors, including residential hotels, bakeries and fast foods, decorators and caterers, sweet shops etc. for this purpose.
To broaden the coverage, the government has decided to outsource the installation of EFD/ SDC machines with a target of 60,000 EFD/ SDC in the first phase and 3,00,000 in five years, if the first phase brings good results.
Besides, to prevent tax evasion and to bring transparency in VAT record keeping, the government has made the use of NBR-prescribed VAT software mandatory in VAT-registered industries with annual turnovers of Tk 5 crore or above.
The NBR has made provisions to enable internet-based companies, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft etc. to pay their VAT on online sales.
This allows these companies to pay their VAT through their authorised VAT agents without opening their office in Bangladesh.
The NBR plans to operationalise the risk management system to ensure that no more than 10 percent of the import consignments are subject to physical examination. To that end, the NBR has established a Central Risk Management Unit/Commissionerate for Customs.
To streamline the bonded warehousing system, reduce its misuse and make it transparent, the government has taken a project that aims to automate the bond management system by June 2023. Meanwhile, the licensing module has started operation and other modules will become operational soon.
Bangladesh Customs will soon be conducting a Time Release Study in the major custom houses to take stock of the actual time taken in the release of imported consignments. The objective of the TRS will be to identify bottlenecks in customs clearance and to take measures to reduce clearance time.
The NBR strives to expand the number of taxpayers and has made the return submission mandatory for all TIN-holders with a few exceptions.
Other reform efforts by the NBR included – i) implementation and activation of Online National Single Window, Post Clearance Audit, Advance Ruling, Authorised Economic Operator, and thereby increasing dynamism in international trade; ii) full implementation of online income tax return submission under SGMP project; iii) implementation of “Individual Source Tax Deduction Monitoring Zone” to strengthen income tax deduction monitoring; iv) expansion of the e-Payment system in income tax; v) activation of transfer pricing and anti-money laundering activities; and vi) strengthening ICT infrastructure construction and automation activities.
Administrative expansion of the income tax department is underway, the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement added.
Introduction of the Document Verification System (DVS) has brought financial discipline and positively contributed to boosting tax collection both in income tax and VAT by increasing transparency.
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Ambitious targets: Govt aims to collect Tk 5872 billion and Tk 7097 billion revenue in FY 2024-25, FY 2025-26
The government of Bangladesh has set ambitious revenue collection targets for the fiscal years 2024-25 and 2025-26, aiming to gather Tk 5872 billion and Tk 7097 billion, respectively. The strategy hinges on enhancing digitalization and simplifying tax procedures for both businesses and individuals.
The focus will be on direct taxes and VAT to raise more revenue. In addition to expanding the tax net and increasing the capacity of tax officials, exercises will be carried out to rationalise the current culture of widespread tax exemptions and to bring in heightened transparency in the budgetary discourse.
As per the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division of Finance Ministry, some Tk 5343 billion will come from the tax revenue sector in 2024-25 fiscal and Tk 6463 billion in 2025-26.
In the next two fiscal years, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will provide Tk 5095 billion and Tk 6171 billion.
From the Income Tax wing, the projected collection will be Tk 1753 billion for the next fiscal, and Tk 2123 billion for 2025-26 fiscal. Collection from the import duties will be Tk 1511 billion and Tk 1830 billion respectively.
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From VAT and Supplementary Duties, the revenue collection will be Tk 1831 billion and Tk 2218 billion respectively.
The non-NBR tax for 2024-25 and 2025-26 will be Tk 248 billion and Tk 292 billion respectively. Non-tax revenue collection will be Tk 529 billion and Tk 634 billion respectively.
The target for the running 2023-24 fiscal is Tk 5000 billion with Tk 4500 billion from tax revenue. Of the total amount, Tk 4300 billion will come from NBR through Tk 1480 billion from income tax, Tk 1275 billion from import duties, Tk 1545 billion from VAT and Supplementary duties. Some Tk 200 billion will be collected from the non-NBR sector while Tk 500 billion from non-tax revenue sector.
According to the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement, revenue outturns estimated for 2023-24 and projection for the next two years show high elasticity and buoyancy, implying robustness in revenue mobilisation in the medium term.
It mentions that among the tax and non-tax parts of the revenue, the tax revenue is forecasted to be more buoyant and elastic than the non-tax part.
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The elasticity data shows that the overall revenue is projected to grow 1.65 times higher than the nominal GDP in FY 2025-26.
As per the statement, the revenue elasticity of GDP for the 2023-24 fiscal is 1.28 times higher than the last fiscal while it is projected to be 1.40 times higher in the next 2024-25 fiscal year.
The tax revenue elasticity of GDP will be 1.33 times higher in the current fiscal while it will be 1.50 times higher in the next fiscal and 1.66 times higher in 2025-26 fiscal year.
The non-tax revenue elasticity of GDP for the running fiscal will be 0.92 times higher in the current fiscal, 0.47 times higher in the next fiscal year, and 1.57 times higher in 2025-26 fiscal year.
On the other hand, the buoyancy indicates that, in FY 2025-26 the tax revenue in real terms may grow 98 percent higher than the growth of real GDP.
The Policy Statement mentions that the revenue mobilisation acts as a catalyst to achieve the development outcomes of a country. Bangladesh has envisioned its long-term development trajectory to be a higher middle-income country in 2031 and to be a developed country in 2041.
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In addition to these aspirations, the ‘Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2021-2041’ has targeted to raise the revenue- GDP ratio to 19.55 percent by 2031 and to reach 24 percent by 2041.
The statement says that the spectacular growth Bangladesh registered in the last decades, however, has not been underpinned by concomitant revenue growth. A large share of the revenue comes from the direct (income tax) and indirect taxes (VAT and customs) collected by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Non-NBR taxes and Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) consists of smaller parts.
It said that there is a need to identify the reasons for low revenue collection to move onto the essential next step to correct the course. It is important to understand various issues such as the economic structure (large informality and exemptions), structural weaknesses (complicated processes and information asymmetry), and cultural factors (apathy towards paying taxes) that contribute to significant underperformance in revenue collection.
The government, the policy statement said, with the support of private sector operators, is keen to make paying taxes easy, tax rules easy to understand and rationalise tax exemptions.
Success in revenue collection will be strengthened by making the tax administration easy to approach, increasing digitalization to bring in transparency and predictability and bringing in progressivity in taxation where rich people pay a higher part of the taxes, it added.
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Bangladesh Economic Association proposes 70 percent tax on cigarettes, tobacco
The Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) has proposed a 70 percent tax on all types of cigarettes and tobacco in the next budget.
The association reckons that doing so will reduce smoking by about 66 percent, alongside generating revenue of Tk1,700 crore for state coffers.
The proposal was submitted to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) during the pre-budget discussion held at the NBR Building on Sunday (February 18).
The General Secretary of the BEA Professor Dr. Md. Aynul Islam presented the budget proposal. Vice President of the association Professor Hannana Begum was present.
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According to the BEA's proposal, imposing a single supplementary duty of 70 percent on all types of cigarettes would increase the price of cigarettes by an average of 130 percent.
Smoking will be reduced by 66 percent. About 70 lakh smokers will quit smoking, and about 71 lakh young people will stop habituating to smoking. Also, the additional tax revenue of the government will be earned at least Tk1700 crores, the proposal stated.
Similarly, the BEA demanded to impose a tax of 70 percent on all types of tobacco products including smokeless tobacco such as jorda, gul, sadapata, etc.
On the other hand, in the case of bidi, if the tax is imposed at the rate of Tk 4.90 on the retail price of every 25 shalak (piece) packet, the government will be able to collect additional revenue of Tk 800 crore.
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The BEA thinks with such a tax increase; revenue earning will be raised and it would help to revive the economy from the ongoing economic crisis. The BEA has a total of 27 new sources of revenue income.
At this time, Prof Aynul said, as a method of gathering resources for the upcoming budget, no pressure can be applied on the general population, such as the poor, lower class, lower middle class, and middle class.
Due to various reasons, this class of people is now in a severe economic crisis. It would be unfair at this moment to rely completely on them as in the past for tax collection.
In that case, the imposition of additional income tax on these three groups – the super-rich, the rich, and the upper-middle class – can be considered, said Prof Aynul.
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FBCCI urges NBR to extend tax return submission deadline till Dec 31
The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex organization of businessmen, has requested the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to extend the deadline for submission of income tax returns.
The federation in a letter to the NBR Chairman said that due to the late publication of income tax circulars in line with the new Income Tax Act 2023, the businessmen are not prepared to submit returns.
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So, the deadline for filing returns need be extended until December 31 this year.
The letter said due to the current political situation and upcoming parliamentary elections, many taxpayers may be able to file income tax returns by November 30.
Some other business chambers have also requested the NBR to extend the tax return submission deadline.
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The Dhaka Taxes Bar Association has demanded an extension of the return submission deadline by another two months.
Govt aims to collect 11.2% of GDP in taxes by FY 2025-26
The government aims to collect total revenue amounting to 11.2 percent of GDP by the end of the 2025-26 fiscal, according to the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division under the Finance Ministry.
It said that Bangladesh has consistently maintained an expansionary fiscal stance keeping a moderate budget deficit—usually around 5 percent of GDP—to foster economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve social outcomes.
However, the tax-GDP ratio in Bangladesh is significantly lower than its peers and hence, the government has taken several initiatives to improve revenue collection.
Yet, it said, the fast pace of GDP growth has made it challenging to increase the ratio.
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The measures that have been undertaken are expected to gradually improve revenue collection by increasing both the tax volume and the number of taxpayers.
The Statement said that the foremost objectives of the public expenditure policy are to stimulate private investment through building infrastructures and improving the business climate, creating employment opportunities, supporting low-income population through social safety net programs, and reducing poverty through ensuring efficient redistribution of wealth and thus ensuring inclusive development.
With the advent of the Covid-19 outbreak, the government started to focus on saving lives while keeping the living standards from falling.
To do this, it mentioned, the Government emphasised on retaining jobs, providing income support, keeping supply chains active, reviving the rural economy, and ensuring food supply.
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For this, the government increased spending and implemented comprehensive recovery programs consisting of twenty-eight stimulus packages.
The stimulus efforts worked well and as a result the economy returned to a high growth trajectory fast while other countries continued to struggle.
However, the Russia-Ukraine war has again posed considerable risks and to mitigate the risks the Government has been pursuing a policy to rationalise public expenditure to stimulate economic growth by inducing domestic productivity growth.
While managing the economy to maximise welfare and development, the government is expected to maintain a budget deficit of around 5 percent of GDP over the medium term.
Historically, the size of public expenditure has been low relative to GDP in Bangladesh because of various limitations in the process of revenue collection and budget implementation.
Land Development Tax Bill 2023 passed in JS
To improve the situation, the government has undertaken certain strategies to increase public expenditure.
The target of increasing public expenditure has been set to around 16.2 percent of GDP in FY 2025-26.
Moreover, the government is pursuing the Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms process to achieve this target.
To improve overall public service delivery, financial control of budget allocations, real-time monitoring of budget execution, and integration of recurrent and capital spending, implementation of the PFM Action Plan (2018-23) is ongoing, and revised PFM Reform Action Plan (2024-2028) has recently been formulated.
Under the PFM reforms, pension automation and E-challan automation systems have been introduced with the help of iBAS++ software.
This system continues to play a significant role in simplifying the budget management process. At the same time, all beneficiary programs are being brought under the Government to Person (G2P) payment system with the help of the iBAS++ software, which brings greater transparency in government expenditure management.
In addition, all government allocations from government institutions as well as all semi-government, autonomous, and state-owned enterprises, are being brought under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) through the iBAS++ system in the medium term.
How to Deactivate TIN in Bangladesh: A Comprehensive Guide
How to Deactivate TIN in Bangladesh: A Comprehensive Guide
The citizens of Bangladesh can register for Tax Identification Number (TIN) for paying income tax and various other purposes. They can also deactivate TIN when it is not required anymore. TIN can be deactivated upon fulfilling some terms. Let’s take a look into the process of deactivating TIN in Bangladesh.
What is TIN?
TIN is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to individuals and businesses by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). It serves as an essential identification and tracking system for tax purposes. The TIN helps the government maintain accurate records, monitor taxpayer compliance, and facilitate efficient tax collection. Whether you are an employee, self-employed professional, or business owner, obtaining a TIN is crucial for fulfilling your tax obligations.
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TIN Certificate Deactivation Terms
Government Announced TIN Certificate Deactivation Terms
The Bangladesh government has recently established six conditions for applying for the cancellation of TIN registration.
i. Those who are not obligated to file tax returns.
ii. Cessation of existence due to death, dissolution, extinction, or similar circumstances.
iii. Permanent departure from Bangladesh with no earning activities in the country.
iv. Duplicate or erroneous registration.
v. Change in legal status.
vi. Any other lawful reason.
Read more: e-TIN: Online registration process in Bangladesh
Who Can Deactivate TIN
When a taxpayer's income falls below the taxable limit, their tax liability stops. There may be a risk that the life expectancy of the individual will fall below the minimum income tax liability in the near future. In that case, it is necessary to cancel the TIN certificate in advance.
The proposed taxable income thresholds in Bangladesh for FY 2023-2024 are as follows:
- Above BDT 350,000 per annum for individual taxpayers.- Above BDT 4,00,000 for females, and elderly persons aged 65 years or above.- Above BDT 475,000 in the case of a disabled person and third gender person.- Above BDT 5,00,000 in case of a gazetted freedom fighter wounded in war.
Sometimes, despite having an income lower than this, one may need to present a TIN certificate for other purposes. In such cases, the holder can revoke the certificate if it is not required anymore.
When a taxpayer dies, his or her TIN certificate can be canceled.
After a taxpayer's death, his or her heirs are responsible for canceling the TIN. However, if the deceased had an active business, canceling the TIN requires canceling and renewing all business-related documents. In such cases, the heirs will not be able to cancel the deceased’s TIN number.
If a Bangladeshi citizen works abroad with no taxable income in Bangladesh, he or she is not obligated to pay taxes. In such cases, the Bangladeshi expatriate can cancel his or her TIN registration.
It is essential to remember that a person can only have one TIN certificate. Duplicating or having multiple TINs is not allowed.
If any error occurs in the registered TIN due to mistakes by the registrar or tax officer, canceling the TIN might be necessary to correct the situation.
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How to Deactivate TIN in Bangladesh
Necessary Documents
To cancel your TIN certificate, you need to be aware of the following rules. You need to get the necessary documents ready in hand upfront:
i. Your Current TIN certificate: Bring a printed copy of your current TIN certificate as proof.
ii. National Identity Card: Carry your National Identity Card and a photocopy of it.
iii. Acknowledgment of Zero Tax Return Filing: Provide a photocopy of the acknowledgment of receipt for filing zero tax returns for at least three consecutive financial years.
Read more: Smart NID Card in Bangladesh: Online Application Process, Documents Needed, Fees
Application Procedure for Canceling TIN Certificate
Filing Zero Tax Returns for 3 Consecutive Years
Since you need to show acknowledgment of zero returns filed for three consecutive financial years, it's important to prepare for the next three years. File zero returns for three consecutive years and keep the tax return receipts for later use.
Applying to the Tax Circle Office
When filing zero return for the third year, visit your tax circle office. Bring the receipts of returns for the last two years and complete an application form with the cess commissioner there. Clearly explain the reasons for canceling your TIN certificate in the application. Once you have written the application, submit it along with the receipts of the last three years’ returns and the necessary documents.
Note that it is not mandatory for the TIN certificate owner to go to the Income Tax office for submitting the application. If he/she is unable to go, any person can appear at the Tax Circle Office on his/her behalf and submit the application instead.
Tin Certificate Cancellation Fees
There is no cost as announced by the government in the entire application procedures for the cancellation of the TIN certificate. That is, taxpayers can cancel their TIN certificate free of charge.
Post-Application Proceedings for Canceling TIN Certificate
After submitting your application, the Excise Commission officials at your tax circle will register your income tax file. They will thoroughly review the reasons mentioned in your application. If everything is in order, your TIN certificate will be finally canceled.
Bottom Line
TAX Identification Number (TIN) is required for many purposes. However, one can register for TIN and deactivate later, if it is not required in future. Following the TIN certificate deactivation terms, citizens of Bangladesh can apply to cancel their TIN certificates. So far, we have discussed how to deactivate TIN in Bangladesh. Hope it helps!
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India imposes 40% duty on onion exports effective today
The Revenue Department of the Indian Finance Ministry has imposed a 40 percent duty on onion exports to Bangladesh effective today (August 20, 2023), causing a hike in the price of the item mainly used as spice in local markets.
An Indian gazette notification signed by Amreeta Titus, deputy secretary of the Revenue Department under the Finance Ministry, said the duty will remain effective till December 31 this year. India imposed the duty for the first time.
Importers of Hili Land Port said earlier they paid no tax for importing onions from India. Due to the 40 percent duty, an extra Tk 10 per kg will have to be counted.
Read: Indian onions start reaching Satkhira, leading to prices easing down
On the other hand, each kg of onion is being sold at Tk 50 since this morning. Per kg of onion was being sold at Tk 39-47 just a day back.
They said Sunday is a weekly holiday in India and import of onion won’t be possible until the newly imposed duty is not paid, urging the Bangladesh government to look for alternative markets to import the item from.
Read: Indian onions start arriving through land ports as import resumes
Indian exporters said onion prices are soaring in the country and the government has imposed the duty to discourage exports.
They suspected that the prices may be hiked next month as substantial amounts of onions rotted due to excessive heat.
Read more: Govt to allow onion import from Monday: Agriculture Ministry
Ambulance owners call strike from Tuesday
Bangladesh Ambulance Owners Welfare Association has called for an indefinite nationwide strike to press home their six-point demand, including the withdrawal of taxes imposed by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority(BRTA).
The strike of private ambulance owners will begin on Tuesday (July 25, 2023) if the demands are not met by today, said Gulam Mostafa, President of the Bangladesh Ambulance Owners Welfare Association on Monday.
Not enough fuel allocation means no ambulance service at Faridpur General Hospital for 45 days
Other demands include formation of a national policy on ambulances and the implementation of prime minister’s announced toll-free facility for ambulances.
The ambulance owners also demanded parking facilities at all hospitals in the country, the facility to fill up fuel at filling stations without having to wait in lines while transporting a patient, and uninterrupted travel on roads.
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Appellate Division orders Dr Yunus to pay NBR Tk 12 crore tax on donations
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today (July 23, 2023) ordered Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus to pay Tk 12 crore tax on donations to the National Bureau of Revenue (NBR) after dismissing a leave-to-appeal in this regard.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, passed the order after hearing the leave-to-appeal submitted by Dr Yunus against a High Court verdict.
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state during the hearing, while Fida M Kamal and Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun stood for Dr Yunus.
Earlier on June 21, a leave-to-appeal was filed against the High Court verdict. On July 9, the chamber court set July 17 for hearing in the Appellate Division.
Read: HC asks Dr Yunus to pay over Tk 12 crore as donation tax
On July 17, the Appellate Division adjourned till July 23 the hearing on the appeal against the High Court verdict.
According to the petition, NBR served three separate notices claiming Tk 12,28,74,000 tax against Tk 61.57 crore donation during 2011-2012 fiscal year, Tk 1.60 crore tax against Tk 8.15 crore donation in FY 2012-2013, and Tk 1.50 crore tax against Tk 7 crore donation in FY 2013-2014 as per the Donation Tax-1990.
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Dr Yunus challenged the validity of NBR's notices and filed a case in the Appellate Tribunal. According to him, NBR cannot claim tax against donations as per law.
On November 20, 2014, his application was rejected. Then in 2015, he filed three income tax reference cases in the High Court.
After that, the High Court ruled on May 31 that the tax imposed by the NBR against the money that he had donated to three trusts was valid.
After the verdict on May 31, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told reporters that Dr Yunus had donated Tk 77 crore to three institutions. “The petitions were dismissed. Now the tax demanded by the NBR will have to be paid. The NBR had demanded more than Tk 15 crore. He (Dr Yunus) has already given around Tk 3 crore. Now the remaining Tk 12 crore will have to be paid in taxes.”
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