Staff Reporter :
The bonded warehouse will be completely automated by 2023 in order to prevent illegal benefit from the duty-free import facility.
Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) came up with the remark while speaking at a pre-budget discussion with the members of the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the revenue board office in the capital on Tuesday.
Urging the concerned officials to be careful so that foreign nationals cannot join any job arriving here in tourist visas aiming to evade the tax, he sought cooperation from other ministries and government agencies so that the local employers feel discouraged to employ the foreign nationals, who come with tourist visas.
According to a study, some 85,486 foreign nationals are working in Bangladesh. Of them, only 14,000-15,000 filed their annual tax returns.
Referring to various government bodies and ministries pressure, the NBR seeking tax or value added tax (VAT) exemption, he said these government agencies carry out campaigns when they fail to secure the waiver saying that they were unable to do “things” as the revenue board did not provide them with certain “advantages.”
The NBR chairman said that his remarks are not aimed at provoking the ministries, rather intend to create a tax culture among everyone.Expressing interest in protecting local industries in the upcoming budget, he said that support for local industries, especially for those who produce consumer goods, would be in consideration in the next budget like in previous times.
“We don’t want consumer goods to be imported from China, Taiwan, or any other country,” he said adding, “It’s a shame that these products sometimes have to be brought from Pakistan.”
However, noting that support does not always yield good results, the NBR chairman said, “It often makes one dependent and weak. Therefore, impact analysis will be done after facilitating necessary support.”
When asked about backing sectors outside the RMG, he said, “We are struggling to cope with what has already been offered. People are misusing our bond facilities. This will be hard to eradicate.”
In the programme, ERF President Sharmeen Rinvy and General Secretary SM Rashidul Islam placed a set of recommendations, including conduction an effective survey to find out actual taxable persons, for the next fiscal budget (2022-23).
The NBR chairman also held similar meeting with the leaders of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) and Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BCMEA).
In the meeting, the BARVIDA proposed to determine base price by deducting 25 per cent dealer commission from the price of the car.
Among the other proposals of the association are modification of vehicle age calculation system for depreciation of reconditioned vehicle and re-determination of depreciation rate, rearrangement of Cubic capacity (CC) slab and tax rate to encourage import of hybrid vehicles, reduction of import duty on fossil fuel vehicles, reduction of import duty on public transport and withdrawal of existing 20 per cent duty on electric vehicles.
On the other hand, the BCMEA urged the revenue board to take measures in line with protecting local ceramic industry.
It also demanded for withdrawal of 10 per cent supplementary duty on domestic sanitary ware production stage to protect local industries and enhancement of processing loss including moisture to 35 per cent, among others.
