Addressing the post press conference on the proposed budget of 2019-20 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that, ‘All the past governments did the same thing as we have proposed the measures for whitening the black money. Because the black money is to be stream lined first, she said.’
She said that, ‘Those who have amassed black money secretly it must be dug out first for streamlining. Even the hidden money can be eaten up by the rats. So it must be brought to light first.’
She was giving replies to the queries in the press conference held at Bangabandhu International Conference center on Friday afternoon(june14).
Sheikh Hasina said that, ‘Black money means that some time some people amassed money which is not shown in the tax return but they can not openly use that money in the country. Then the money goes out of the country through laundering or tries to use it in any other dark way. To stop this malpractice we have given the opportunity of investing the money in few sectors. We gave this opportunity earlier and all the past governments also did it.’
Informing the press the Prime Minister said that, ‘One must have to pay extra interest for unshown money and added that we have given this opportunity so that the black money does not become heap in the banks. At least we wanted to prove that some people are hiding money without paying taxes, to alert them for investing it and may be used for their own benefit in a right way.’
She further said that in the IT parks in 100 Economic Zones if any body make investments he or they must pay taxes at a definite rate. If the money is invested paying taxe, it cannot be questioned.
The head of the government also informed that to stop money laundering a separate committee of Bangladesh Bank is working. Whenever money is laundered it is being identified. We will also take measures to check this laundering in future.
On the stage the Prime Minister was accompanied by Planning Minister MA Mannan, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzaq, former Finance Minister AMA Muhit, Industry Minister Nurul Mazid Humayun, NBR Chairman Dr. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuyian and Bangladesh Bank governor Fazle Kabir. It may be mentioned here that in absence of the ailing Finance Minister AHM Mostofa Kamal, the Prime Minister addressed the queries of the journalists.