Bangladesh

Finance Minister AMA Muhith wants the number of taxpayers to increase to 40 lakh by FY 2019–20 from the existing 11 lakh regular taxpayers. However, he observed: “It would be challenging to increase the number to four million by the end of the tenure of this government.” Muhith made this observation while addressing a programme held on the occasion of ...

The government’s initiative to change the mode of the country’s irrigation system, by replacing diesel- and electricity-based irrigation pumps with solar ones, is proceeding at a snail’s pace. Against the target of installing 1,500 solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) by 2016, only 280 pumps have been installed till now. These are lifting 360 million litres of water for cultivating 32,000 bighas ...

The sixth annual tax fair has begun throughout the country from today. The fair is taking place in 86 upazilas: in 29 upazilas for two days and 57 upazilas for a day between September 16 and 22. In Dhaka, the fair is taking place at Officer’s Club on Bailey Road. The tax fair aims to motivate people to pay taxes, ...

Private university students return to campuses in cheerful rallies The government yesterday scrapped the 7.5 per cent value-added tax (VAT) imposed on private universities and medical and engineering colleges following mass protests by students. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday. The finance ministry later issued a press release, saying: “The government ...

Says UN under secretary general of DFS Visiting UN Under Secretary General of Department of Field Support (DFS) Atul Khare on Monday highly appreciated Bangladesh’s role in UN peacekeeping missions saying Bangladesh is now a ‘brand name’ in peacekeeping, reports UNB. Atul Khare came up with the remark when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban ...

The Cabinet on Monday adopted a condolence motion expressing deep shock and sorrow at the death of Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali. The Social Welfare Minister died at Singapore General Hospital in the morning at the age of 67. The condolence motion was adopted at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister ...

Private university students, who have been pressing the demand for withdrawal of a government-imposed 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees, will continue their agitations on Monday. The announcement came at the end of their daylong demonstrations on the streets on Sunday evening. Their protests have caused severe traffic gridlocks in Dhaka’s streets and huge troubles for commuters – much like ...

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday hinted that the government may back down from VAT on private university education VAT, saying government is ‘not rigid’ about the decision. The minister came up with such indication following the constant protests by the private university students. “Our decision to impose the VAT was not rigid… Over the last six years, many decisions ...

Bangladesh officials have identified a Bangladesh national among 107 victims who died in Makkah crane collapse on Friday, reports UNB. “Yes, so far we’ve identified a Bangladesh national among the victims,” Bangladesh Ambassador in Riyadh Golam Moshi told UNB on Sunday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Abul Kashem, hailing from Karnaphuli area of Chittagong. Moshi, however, said he does ...

Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said garments workers will be paid wages and bonus before the Eid-Ul-Azha, reports UNB. “The garment factory owners have informed me that they will pay wages and bonus to workers before the upcoming Eid”, said the minister while taking to reporters after a meeting on payment of wages and bonus to garments workers ...