Some 30 rights organisations on Wednesday urged the Bangladesh delegation to UN Addis Ababa Conference on Finance for Development to propose formation of a UN political body on global tax matter that will support elimination of all sorts of loopholes for an equal taxing as well as stop illicit finance flow.
They also demanded participation of political leadership in Bangladesh's delegation to the conference.
The proposal and demand came from a seminar titled 'UN Addis Ababa Conference 2015: Global commitment on development financing and stopping illicit finance flow' in the National Press Club.
The programme was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, while the keynote was presented by Sayed Aminul Haque of the same organisation. State Minister for Finance and Planning M A Mannan was present as the chief guest.
Among others, Professor Abu Ahmed of Dhaka University, M Fayez of Jatiyo Sramik Federaion, Bahrine Sultan Bahar of Jago Bangla Garments Sramik Federation, Aminur Rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust, Sultan Mahmud of BILS, Md. Hafizul Islam of Public Service International, Monowar Mustafa of Development Synergy Institute, and Pradip Kular Roy of Online Knowledge Society spoke on the occasion.
In the keynote, Aminul Haque said most of the developed countries did not keep the commitment of providing 0.7 per cent of their respective GNI for the poor countries to achieve the MDGs.
He also placed some specific demands, including global political commitment through UN Convention for an effective tax system, agreement with different countries to exchange information on bank and financial transaction, making government audit and reports on MNCs public, and eliminating global discriminatory trade rules.
The state minister said many rich countries are promoting capital flight to their countries by providing citizenship in exchange of investment, which should be stopped.
The seminar was jointly organised by Online Knowledge Society, BILS, EquityBD, Udayan Bangladesh, Unnyayan Dhara, ADB International, CLEAN, Jatiyo Sramik Jote, Trade Union Centre, Readymade Garment Workers' Federation, Banchte Shekha Nari, Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Bangladesh Bhumihin Somity, Bangladesh Sromik Federation, Development Synergy Institute, Trade Union Centre, Awaz, Jono Oddyan Kendro, Bangladesh Sromik Federation, Bhasoman Nari Sromik Union, Jago Bangladesh Garments Sramik Federation and Mehnoti Garments Sromik Federation.
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