Cabinet Secretary Khandakar Anwarul Islam said, direction has been given to the concerned authority that the local administration can impose lockdown in certain areas if coronavirus transmission level reaches concerning stage or the situation is harmful for the locality. He said this while briefing the newsmen over cabinet meeting on Monday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the virtual meeting from Ganabhaban and the concerned ministers joined it from cabinet division. It was known that the health ministry has sent letter to the cabinet division about imposing lockdown in the frontier districts. In this regard the Cabinet Secretary said, we have not got the letter yet. Already the directions have been given to the Deputy Commissioners, Civil Surgeons, Chairmen or Mayors that they can impose lockdown to certain areas if the corona transmission situation seems harmful for the population. Direction was earlier given to the local district administration that they can declare lockdown if they think, such as the situation of Chapainawabganj – the suggestion came from the local authority. Khandakar Anwarul Islam also said, we have directed other district administrations that they can declare partial lockdown in the bordering areas by not covering the whole district. It depends on their suggestions. As well as we should consider that now it is the season of mangoes in North Bengal, in that case if longer strict lockdown is imposed then what would happen ..... we are considering these matters. But if it is harmful for the population then lockdown must be imposed. AH

Direct tax cannot be imposed on Google and Facebook as they have no office in Bangladesh. But tax will be imposed on advertisement providers. Besides, foreign television channels may be brought under tax net. National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan hinted about this at a 2018-19 fiscal year pre budget discussion held at the meeting room of Rajashwa Bhaban at Segun Bagicha in the capital on Monday. Leaders of The Institute of Chartered Accounts of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Printing Industries Association were present in the pre budget discussion. The NBR Chairman said, tax cannot be imposed on Facebook or Google until they open their offices in the country. But we will be able to impose tax on the firms which are giving advertisement in it. Bangladesh Printing Industries Association in the discussion demanded to stop importing printed books and papers at zero duty. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said, importing of printed books at zero duty will not be allowed in future. We want to provide such opportunity to the businessmen so that industrialization takes place in the country, as well as employment will increase. AH   

A Kuwaiti parliamentary committee has endorsed a draft law to impose taxes on remittances by expatriates in the country. This came despite recommendations from the government, the central bank and financial experts against such a move. The members of the financial committee voted four to one to refer the bill to the parliament for debate among its members.  If the draft is approved, it will be referred to the government and in case the cabinet accepts it, it becomes law. The legislative committee had earlier rejected the draft, saying that it was unconstitutional. The Central Bank said that imposing taxes on remittances would harm Kuwait’s reputation, weaken the financial situation in the country, affect the fight against money laundering and terrorism and create a parallel black market for sending money home. However, Salah Khorshid, the chairman of the financial committee, said that they had taken into consideration the views of consultants, legal experts and a constitution specialist to ensure there were no breach of the constitution. He added that the government had reservations about the bill ‘because it has the intention of imposing taxes on both Kuwaiti citizens and expatriates,’ he added. However, the committee said that taxes should be levied only on foreigners. Under the draft law, remittance taxes will be gradual with a one per cent tax for remittances of up to KD90, two per cent for KD 100-200 remittances, three per cent for KD 300-499 and five per cent for KD 500 and more. The remittance tax will be in addition to the commission charged by moneychangers and banks. Several analysts who opposed imposing taxes on remittances have warned against the development of a black market and back channels that allow expatriates to send money home faster and at more convenient rates. Source: Gulf News. AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that no Value Added Tax (VAT) will be imposed on private universities. The directives came in while she was presiding over the meeting of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the ECNEC conference room at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital on Tuesday. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was also present in the meeting.   Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told the newsmen about Prime Minister’s directives after the meeting. He said, Finance Minister AMA Muhith in a discussion earlier said that VAT will be imposed on private universities in the next budget. Discussions are going on over the matter. Hope that the issue will be solved. Replying to questions of newsmen he said, no VAT will be charged on any sector of private university students. Even all the objects in private university buildings will be free of VAT. Prime Minister has cleared the matter in the ECNEC meeting. AH