Published: 12:25 AM, 21 July 2026
Higher truck taxes to raise business costs: CCCI President
The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has warned that higher taxes on trucks and covered vans introduced in the current fiscal year will increase business costs and ultimately drive up the prices of goods.
Speaking at a meeting with the Inter-District Goods Transport Organization Truck and Covered Van Owners Association at the chamber office on Sunday, CCCI President Mohammad Amirul Haque said the additional tax burden would undermine the government's efforts to curb inflation and reduce the cost of doing business.
"The government is trying to reduce inflation and lower the cost of doing business, but imposing additional taxes on the transport sector will not help achieve those objectives," he said.
Haque said the transport sector plays a vital role in facilitating the country's import-export trade, generating employment and contributing to government revenue. As the association is a member of the chamber, he said CCCI would work to address its legitimate concerns.
CCCI Senior Vice-President Md. Amjad Hossain Chowdhury said the transport sector is a key pillar of the national economy and stressed the need for cooperation to prevent instability in the industry.
Leaders of the transport owners' association said trucks and covered vans not only carry import and export cargo but also transport baby food, pharmaceutical raw materials and government relief supplies during emergencies.
They alleged that although advance income tax (AIT) rates for trucks and covered vans were previously fixed through statutory regulatory orders (SROs), in recent years the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has been determining the rates through executive orders.
According to the association, the AIT for drum trucks, open trucks and 12-wheelers has been increased to Tk 24,000. For trucks and covered vans weighing more than five tonnes, the tax has risen to Tk 30,000 from Tk 16,000. Vehicles weighing more than 1.5 tonnes will now pay Tk 15,000, up from Tk 9,500, while those below 1.5 tonnes will pay Tk 7,500, compared with the previous Tk 4,000.
The association urged the chamber to lobby the relevant government authorities to withdraw what it described as unreasonable tax rates, reduce advance income tax on all vehicles by Tk 10,000, and cut vehicle tax token fees by 50 percent.
CCCI Vice-President Mohammad Mosiul Alam Swapan, directors and senior leaders of the transport owners' association were also present at the meeting.
>>Bashir Al Mamun, AA
