Noting that the ICT sector is going to be the main saviour of the country's economy in the future, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman on Sunday advocated for continuing the various tax facilities policy apart from support that the sector is currently enjoying for further flourish of this sector.
"I'm cent percent agreed with the ICT entrepreneurs that the existing tax facilities should remain.
I still think that the sector is still at the premature stage and it won't be wise to withdraw the existing tax facilities that the sector is currently enjoying.
Rather, we've to think of giving more incentives, otherwise challenges will come," he said.
Salman was speaking as the chief guest at a roundtable titled "Investment Climate for Smart Bangladesh" held at a city hotel.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman on the same Ministry Kazi Nabil Ahmed spoke as special guests chaired by Venture Capital and Private Equity Association of Bangladesh (VCPEAB) president Shameem Ahsan. The VCPEAB organized the roundtable.
Ferdous Ahmed, MP and Zara Jabeen Mahbub, MP also spoke as guests of honour.
Agreeing with the various demands of the entrepreneurs of the ICT sector, Salman said he would discuss with the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister regarding the various issues surrounding the industry.
Criticizing slightly the National Board of Revenue (NBR) for imposing more burden on the existing regular taxpayers, the Adviser suggested that the revenue board should focus more on bringing in the untaxed people to the tax net.
"Unless the tax collection system is digitalized fully or major reforms are not brought, then the tax to GDP ratio will not increase," he added.
Mentioning that data is going to be the main asset in the coming days, the Adviser urged the relevant stakeholders and entrepreneurs to give more emphasis on AI, data sign, big data management, chip designing, cyber security and establishing a huge data centre.State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that the country's IT and ICT sector witnessed massive successes over the last 15 years under the farsighted vision of Prime Minister's ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Ahmed and courageous leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He urged the PM's Private Industry and Investment adviser to talk with the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister about the rational demands of continuing tax facilities in the ICT sector.
