Adviser to the interim government on the
Ministries of Finance and Commerce Dr Salehuddin Ahmed has sought support of
the country’s business community to keep the supply chain of essentials like
edible oil and sugar operative and normal.
“In our country, there is a vast consumption of edible oil and sugar among
all the essential items and the present government wants to keep the supply
chain of such items operative and normal and also to reach those to common
people at rational prices. We want the support of businessmen in this
regard,” he said.
The Commerce Adviser said this when the owners and representatives of
country’s six major edible oil and sugar refiners met him at his Economic
Relations Division (ERD) office in the capital yesterday, said a Commerce
Ministry press release here today.
Mentioning that steps would be taken to facilitate opening up letters of
credit (LCs) and reducing LC margin, he said prices of commodities could not
be increased by any means. “We’ll have to minimize ba
d practice in trade and
commerce,” he added.
The businessmen who were present in the meeting mentioned that they have to
pay Taka 42 as VAT and other taxes in per kilogram of sugar which is totally
unjustified and not in practice in other countries of the world.
They also demanded for reorganizing the existing tax and VAT structure.
The major edible oil and sugar refiners also appraised the Finance and
Commerce Adviser about the current demand and stockpile of essential
commodities in the country.
Representatives of Deshbandhu Group, Meghna Group, S Alam Group, TK Group and
Citigroup attended the meeting, among others.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha