'NBR to consider reform of tax slabs of bidi, cigar'

Published : 06 May 2018, 21:22

Jagoroniya Desk

Tax slabs of bidi and cigarette will be restructured in the upcoming budget for fiscal 2018-19, National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said today. 

Speaking at a pre-budget discussion here, the NBR chairman said, "We support the proposal of increasing the price of bidis and cigarettes and restructure the tax slabs. Proper steps will be taken in this regard."

During the meeting, Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) said that price of 10-stick low tier cigarette is Taka 27 and Taka 35 and proposed to bring down to two slabs (low and high tiers) from existing four-slab system. 

ATMA claimed that changing the number of slabs will push up the price of both bidis and cigarettes. 

Some other organisations, including SME Foundation, Bangladesh Paper Mill Association, also take part in the meeting.

SME Foundation proposed lowering the import duty on poly-carbonate, the main ingredient of making electric equipment, minimising duty on polymer to three percent from existing five percent, waiver of duty on import of agricultural equipment, increasing incentive to 30 percent from 20 percent for the export of handicraft products. 

Bangladesh Paper Mills Association leader Mostafa Kamal Mohiuudin alleged that bond facilities were being misused in the paper industry as some importers were importing white paper in the name of packaging paper. 

He demanded withdrawal of VAT on some educational materials.

Source: BSS

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