Sylhet: Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir today stated that the government has no intention to increase taxes on the private sector. He addressed this issue while responding to journalists’ questions after a view-exchange meeting with local administration officials at the Sylhet Circuit House this afternoon.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Commerce Minister clarified that recent comments by the Finance Minister had been misrepresented in the media. He emphasized that Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio is considerably lower than that of neighboring countries. Muktadir explained that because of this low ratio, a significant portion of revenue collection is used for government expenditures, hindering the allocation of sufficient funds for development activities. He highlighted that the Finance Minister was referring to the need to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio, not to raise taxes on the private sector.
Present at the meeting were Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anne. Speaking to reporters, Muktadir mentioned that the market situation during the holy month of Ramadan has remained stable. He noted that although prices of certain items, such as lemons, saw an irrational increase during the initial days of Ramadan, they have since normalized.
As the minister overseeing the Ministries of Commerce, Textiles and Jute, and Industries, Muktadir revealed that a letter has been sent to the European Union (EU) seeking a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as part of advance preparations to address post-LDC graduation challenges. He further mentioned that similar initiatives would be pursued in phases with Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom (UK).
The Commerce Minister assured that all outstanding wages and salaries of industrial workers would be ensured before the upcoming Holy Eid-ul-Fitr. Following the meeting, the Commerce, Labour and Employment, and Water Resources Ministers visited erosion-affected areas along the Surma River and Chenger khal River.