Staff Reporter :
The businessmen have said that the small and medium traders will fall in deep crisis, if the government does not allow them to do their business entities after 8:00 pm ahead of Eid.
The government on Thursday directed to close business establishments including markets and shops aiming at saving electricity and gas.
Following this, the businesses urged the government to rethink about a decision not to allow operation of business establishments including markets and shops.
“The businessmen could not do their business in last two years during the Eid due to the ongoing pandemic. So, this year Eid is very important to them to do their business,” said Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), President of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) on Saturday.
He said the small and medium traders will fall in deep crisis, if the government does not allow them operating their business during this time.
“A business-friendly way needs to find out so that the traders can run their businesses ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha,” Parvez said while speaking at a press at the BCI conference room in the city to place budget reactions on Saturday.
Citing that people feel reluctant to pay taxes for complexities, the BCI president also demanded simplification of the taxation system to prevent evasion.
“The taxation system must be simplified and taxpayers-friendly so that people feel encouraged,” he said.
Parvez said that in the current system, experienced people do not encourage others to pay tax due to the complexity of the system.
“If the government can create a friendly atmosphere, the number of taxpayers could reach 1.5 crore within a year and the budget deficit could be met from the revenue collections,” he said.
The BCI presented a number of demands and recommendations for incorporating in the national budget.
The demands include a 5-year tax holiday for young entrepreneurs, and then fixation of corporate tax for micro, cottage and small industries at 10-15 percent, fixing the source tax at 0-3 per cent for import of raw materials, two percent tax waiver for all green industries, fixing VAT at 10 percent for import-substitute industries and tax-free income limit at Tk 500,000 for individual taxpayers.
Parvez also urged the government not to raise electricity and petroleum prices saying that if the cost of production goes up, it will impact on the production and finally production would decrease.
He observed that young entrepreneurs would not be benefited from the special fund formed by the government due to lack of specific policy guidelines in the national budget 2022-23.
“We urge the government to frame a policy guideline so that the young entrepreneurs can utilize the fund,” he said.
Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) President Md Saiful Islam and BCI senior Vice President Priti Chakraborty and Director Delower Hossain Raja, among others, were present.
