A bribe of Tk 50,000 required for Tk 30,000 duty: Showkat Aziz.

AABusiness Desk: angladeshTextile Mills Association (BTMA) president Showkat Aziz has urged the NationalBoard of Revenue (NBR) to allocate its resources wisely, citing bureaucraticcomplexities and corruption within the textile industry.

ShowkatAziz stated, “Previously, BTMA imported parts, and the proper duties were paid.There was no disagreement regarding this, and the clearance certificate wasissued by BTMA.”

However,as the NBR took control of the situation, the complexities increased.Clearances must now be obtained at every stage. It has also been reported thata bribe of Tk 50,000 is required to deposit Tk 30,000 as customs duty. In lightof this, he suggests that the NBR allocate its resources toward more productivepurposes.

He madethese statements on Wednesday during the 45th meeting of the Budget AdvisoryCommittee for the upcoming fiscal year, which was hosted by the National Boardof Revenue (NBR) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce andIndustry (FBCCI) at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

The BTMApresident also expressed concerns about the complexity of HS codes. He statedthat dealers are confused because there are multiple HS codes for the samegoods. Selecting a specific HS code for a product would help alleviate thisissue.

In termsof corporate tax, the BTMA proposes taxing textile mills at the same rate asthe country's ready-made garment sector, which is currently 12 percent. Thetextile and garment industries complement one another. Showkat Aziz believesthat their proposal is realistic.