Speakers at a dialogue said that the income inequality in Bangladesh is widening due to indirect tax burden to lower income groups, while rich people are paying less comparing to their income and wealth. The speakers said this while speaking at a policy dialogue on ‘Using direct taxation to tackle inequality and boost revenue’ held at BRAC Inn in the capital on Wednesday (December 28, 2022). Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, Chairman of Research and Policy integration for Development (RAPID) presented a keynote paper on the topic. Former chairman of NBR Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid, Director General of BCS (Tax) Academy MM Fazlul Haque, Professor of DU Dr Abu Eusuf, Finance Division (budget) joint secretary Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf, ERD Joint Secretary Md Anowar Hossain, among others, spoke in the function. Read more: Tax return submission deadline extended to January 1, 2023 RAPID Chairman Dr Razzaque explained in the keynote paper that income inequality is widening in society despite growth in manufacturing, agriculture, and other sectors due to an unjust taxation system. This income discrimination would be more if the reform in the taxation system is not done with a strong commitment to the nation, he pointed out. “Comparing the small GDP of many other economies in the world, Bangladesh earns only 35 percent of its revenue from direct tax while it is 65 percent from indirect tax. It is expected to be 70 percent revenue from the direct tax, considering the volume of the country’s (Bangladesh) economy like some other countries,” he added. Dr Razzaque said that recently the NBR announced to increase the share of direct tax from 35 to 70 percent of total revenue – which is a welcome initiative and will drive economic growth and strengthen the government’s ability to provide essential public services. Read more: Present tax system is not in favour of industrial development: BCI But the implementation of the target is far behind the projected time, he said. Dr Abdul Mazid said, “The NBR must be established as a state agency, and not a government agency. As such, NBR should not be dependent on the government. Rather, it should be an independent operator on behalf of the state.” He emphasized long-term planning to increase revenue collection by reforming Bangladesh's taxation system and the NBR.

Thousands of protestors are expected to rally in Washington, D.C., Saturday and in separate demonstrations around the country as part of a renewed push for nationwide gun control. Motivated by a fresh surge in mass shootings, from Uvalde, Texas, to Buffalo, New York, protestors say lawmakers must take note of shifting public opinion and finally enact sweeping reforms. Organizers expect the second March for Our Lives rally to draw around 50,000 demonstrators to the Washington Monument. That’s far less than the original 2018 march, which filled downtown Washington with more than 200,000 people. This time, organizers are focusing on holding smaller marches at an estimated 300 locations. “We want to make sure that this work is happening across the country,” said Daud Mumin, co-chairman of the march’s board of directors and a recent graduate of Westminster College in Salt Lake City. “This work is not just about D.C., it’s not just about senators.” The first march was spurred by the Feb. 14, 2018, killings of 14 students and three staff members by a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. That massacre sparked the creation of the youth-led March For Our Lives movement, which successfully pressured the Republican-dominated Florida state government to enact sweeping gun control reforms. The Parkland students then took aim at gun laws in other states and nationally, launching March for Our Lives and holding the big rally in Washington on March 24, 2018. The group did not match the Florida results at the national level, but has persisted in advocating for gun restrictions since then, as well as participating in voter registration drives. Now, with another string of mass shootings bringing gun control back into the national conversation, organizers of this weekend’s events say the time is right to renew their push for a national overhaul. “Right now we are angry,” said Mariah Cooley, a March For Our Lives board member and a senior at Washington’s Howard University. “This will be a demonstration to show that us as Americans, we’re not stopping anytime soon until Congress does their jobs. And if not, we’ll be voting them out.” The protest comes at a time of renewed political activity on guns and a crucial moment for possible action in Congress. READ: School massacre continues Texas’ grim run of mass shootings Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence have lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill this week. Among them was Miah Cerrillo, an 11-year-old girl who survived the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. She told lawmakers how she covered herself with a dead classmate’s blood to avoid being shot. On Tuesday, actor Matthew McConaughey appeared at the White House briefing room to press for gun legislation and made highly personal remarks about the violence in his hometown of Uvalde. The House has passed bills that would raise the age limit to buy semi-automatic weapons and establish federal “red flag” laws. But such initiatives have traditionally stalled or been heavily watered down in the Senate. Democratic and Republican senators had hoped to reach agreement this week on a framework for addressing the issue and talked Friday, but they had not announced an accord by early evening. Mumin referred to the Senate as “where substantive action goes to die,” and said the new march is meant to spend a message to lawmakers that public opinion on gun control is shifting under their feet. ”If they’re not on our side, there are going to be consequences — voting them out of office and making their lives a living hell when they’re in office,” he said.

The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), a concern of the commerce ministry, organized a  dialogue on ‘reformation to VAT system’. The programme focused on the present context of appropriate VAT collection, structural reforms of VAT management, increase in VAT net and compliance with VAT law. The programme was held on Tuesday evening at the ICMAB Ruhul Quddus Auditorium, in the capital. Director General of the Department of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Dr. Md. Abdur Rauf was present as the chief guest while relevant committee members formed by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) were present as discussants in the dialogue. The discussion was presided over by Md. Mamunur Rashid FCMA, President of ICMAB. He said, “Cost audit is not a mere audit of expenses and financial accuracy; it is an audit of performance, efficiency and financial morality”.  He called for adding cost of goods sold statement with company return after getting certification from Cost and Management Accountants, so the revenue of the NBR will be increased He mentioned that Bangladesh is now an emerging country to invest. In that case, the VAT law and regulations should be business friendly. Dr. Md. Abdur Rauf said, VAT System is a tax system based on accounting. He agreed that Cost and Management Accountants in particular have a huge role to play in controlling production costs in the process of value addition and production. In order to make the Value Added Tax Act more modern, up-to-date and realistic, the recommendations will be taken into account. Md. Mashiur Rahman FCMA, Deputy Project Director, National Single Window presented paper on the subject, Kazi Muhammad Ziauddin FCMA, Additional Commissioner, Customs, conducted the program. Abdus Sattar Sarkar FCMA,  Jayant Kumar Poddar FCMA and Md. Saifur Rahman FCMA were present as discussants.