Finance Minister AHM Mostofa Kamal said that it is not the whole truth that banking business is in good condition but it cannot be said that they are in bad condition. For development of this sector an Asset Management Company is going to be set up. Many cannot take initiatives for being loan defaulter even cannot file suits. The initiative will be taken up by Asset Management Company. The bank interest is very high. It is not possible to do business taking loan at this high rated interest. New interest rate is going to be introduced. The rate of interest will be reduced in near future so that no one becomes loan defaulter. Besides, there will be incentives for the stock market.
The Minister told all these on Thursday (April25) in a pre-budget discussion meeting with several organizations held at NEC conference room, Agargoan.
The Minister said that few after taking loan from banks left the bank for good creating problems. There might be loss or profit if you do business. Those who incur loss, there is nothing to do. If all loan defaulters are sent to jail the problem will not be solved rather we want to do work taking all into the same fold.
He said that, keep faith on me. Dishonesty did not touch me and will not. I have come to this place after hard labor and my student life was not bed of roses. I have obligations to the people. I would request you not to do anything that might harm the country creating obstacles in the progress of the country. So every one should work for the betterment of the country from their respective places.
AHM Mostofa Kamal said that to check money laundering all imported goods will be brought after scanning. Again the hundred percent export goods will be scanned. Besides, inspection will be done through random sampling.
The Minister said that there are 4 crore fit people to pay tax but only 29 lakh pay. For this reason Value Added Tax (VAT)will be imposed.
Taking part in the discussion Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman said that number of news paper readers are reducing day by day affecting the income. Income of on line news portal is not that much while the publishing cost is increasing gradually in various sectors. In VAT law there is exemption for the news papers. Even then 15 percent VAT is being collected. So this tax continuing for long time be withdrawn.
He also demanded to withdrawl of hundred percent tax from the house rent of the journalists. Fifty percent tax is rebated from the house rent now. The present wage structure has given 70 percent house rent of the basic pay. He demanded the rest 20 percent portion of the house rent to be kept tax free.
SUJAN founder secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said that no one is attentive to strengthen the local governments. Now the local governments are not given any importance, it cannot be.
He further said that good governance will have to bring back in the stock market and in banking system. The responsible persons who are doing rampant corruption in banking sector they must be brought to book under the purview of law.
Editor of tabloid daily Manab Zamin, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury said that thousand crores of money is being laundered from the country. It must be checked by any means. The laundering kings are purchasing houses in Malaysia, Canada and UK. If that laundered money is not brought back then the condition of economy will not improve.