Women entrepreneurs on Tuesday demanded the National Board of Revenue exempt women entrepreneurs from paying value-added taxes for at least three years after
initiating their businesses to encourage and promote them.
At a pre-budget meeting with the NBR, women business leaders also demanded tax-free income ceiling for women entrepreneurs be increased to Tk 5 lakh from the existing 2.25 lakh and VAT-free turnover ceiling for cottage industry be increased to Tk 50 lakh from the existing Tk 25 lakh.
Leaders of as many as 20 top chambers were supposed to attend the meeting, but only representatives from the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industry attended the meeting in the end.
NBR chairman Ghulam Hussain presided over the meeting while NBR members Farid Uddin, Syed Aminul Karim and Jahangir Hossain were also present.
‘Most of the women entrepreneurs represent small and medium enterprises such as boutique, handicraft and cottage industries that had suffered severely of late because of the ongoing political unrest,’ said Naaz Farhana Ahmed, president of DWCCI.
So, the NBR should provide some budgetary policy support, including exempting women entrepreneurs from paying tax and VAT, for the time being so that they could survive, she said.
‘SMEs are the engines of a country’s economic growth. Industrialisation will expand if the government provides some facility to the SMEs,’ she added.
BWCCI former vice-president Selina Quader suggested the NBR should not deduct 5 per cent advance income tax on 20 per cent cash incentive provided for exporting agricultural products to make the market competitive.
DWCCI general secretary Veena Ahmed demanded VAT rules be relaxed for the tailoring shops.
Tailoring shops are closely related to boutique sectors, which engages most of the women entrepreneurs, she said.
BWCCI vice-president Hasina Newaaz demanded discrepancies in import duty and VAT structure be eliminated as SME entrepreneurs were suffering the most due to such practices.
She also sought policy support for women entrepreneurs.
CWCCI director Sultana Shirin Akter demanded tax-free income ceiling for women entrepreneurs be increased to Tk 5 lakh from the existing Tk 2.25 lakh.
NCCI wanted duty-free facility while importing gas generator for readymade garment industry and reduction of tax on export to 0.5 per cent from the existing 0.8 per cent.
BCCI president Saidur Rahman Mintu demanded withdrawal of VAT imposed on cabin services at the launches.
-With New Age input
