Pre-Budget Meeting Fy 2014-15
BSREA demands equipment import duty cut
NBR chairman criticises solar panel cos for installing substandard products
The National Board of Revenue chairman Ghulam Hussain on Wednesday blasted the solar panel companies for installing substandard solar system and poor services to customers in the country. At the first day of month-long pre-budget discussion started at NBR conference room, the NBR chairman, replying to the demand for reduction of duties and taxes on import of equipment and accessories by Bangladesh Solar and Renewable Energy Association, said that solar panel companies were not ensuring quality of products though they were getting different tax benefits from the government.
‘The companies import most of the system and equipment including battery from China, but deceives clients charging high prices for the products saying that all materials were imported from Germany, Italy and other developed countries,’ Ghulam said.
According to NBR data, very few portion of solar system is imported from countries like Germany or Italy. Ghulam advised solar companies for maintaining quality of products and services.
BSREA president Dipal C Barua demanded for reducing duties, value-added tax and other taxes on import of equipment and accessories of solar system to 5 per cent from existing rates.
The government has taken initiatives to make the system popular in the country to meet power shortage. Reduction of taxes will help them to make the system affordable for common people, he said.
He also sought duty waiver for raw materials of bio-gas fiberglass manufacturing factories and solar panel assembling companies.
At the first day of discussion, the revenue board invited 30 associations from oil, gas, food, beverage, cigarette, paper, printing, publication, film and advertisement sectors but representatives of 18 associations did not turn up at the meeting.
Advertising Agencies Association of Bangladesh president Ramendu Majumdar sought reduction of tax at source to 5 per cent from the existing 10 per cent on bills and commission.
Bangladesh Gyan O Srijonshil Prokashok Samity president Osman Gani sought tax exemption on donation to libraries to encourage setting up libraries across the country.
He also demanded reduction of duties on paper import.
Bangladesh Paper Mills Association, however, opposed the proposal of reducing duties on import of papers.
Local paper mills having capacity to meet domestic demand will be badly affected if import duty is reduced, BPMA president Mostafizur Rahman said.
He demanded that the NBR should reduce duties on chemicals and raw materials for import substitute high quality paper products.
Bangladesh CNG Owners Association demanded that the NBR should impose tax on profit instead of charging minimum tax on total sales.
Bangladesh Sweets Manufacturing Association demanded for reduction of VAT on sales to 6 per cent from the current 15 per cent and exemption from paying VAT at production level.
Representatives from Bangladesh Sugar Refinery Association, Bangladesh Paper Importers Association, Bangladesh Bread Biscuit and Confectionary Manufacturers Association, Bangladesh Photographic Association, among others, placed their budget proposals at the meeting.
Ghulam said that the revenue board would scrutinise the proposals and accommodate in budget considering merits of the proposals.
NBR members Syed Aminul Karim and Jahangir Hossain, among others, attended the meeting.
-With New Age input
