Businessmen yet to regain lost confidence, says DCCI chief
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Businessmen are yet to regain their lost confidence even after the government took initiative to dispel the confusions created from its actions.
"This will take time… once lost it takes a while to get back confidence," Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Hossain Khaled told UNB after his meeting with the new NBR Chairman Mohammad Abdul Majid in the city Monday.
But he praised the government initiative for reforms in the business sector, such as Bangladesh Better Business Forum, to restore confidence among the business people.
The DCCI president said that due to various reform programmes in the country, the businesses might have faced some adverse impact for the time being. "But this must be kept at a tolerable level."
The business community on September 5 at a meeting with the Chief Adviser said one of the pressing challenges faced by the business community is the 'fear factor' created by the anti-corruption drive, taxation drive and seeking information on bank accounts and source of money.
Some of them openly pointed their fingers at the former NBR chairman Badiur Rahman for the stalemate in the business sector.
Later, the government removed Badiur Rahman from the NBR.
The DCCI delegation in the meeting with the new NBR chairman on the day reiterated voiced the fear factor especially due to the taxation drive.
Meeting sources said the NBR chairman assured them of not harassing the businessmen without any valid reason.
Meanwhile, NBR chairman Abdul Majid briefing newsmen after the meeting said he would continue his organisation's utmost effort to fulfil the revenue target.
"We want to surpass the target, not only touch the target," he said.
"And for that we will take two types of initiative. One is revenue collection and restoration of (businessmen's) lost confidence, and the other is research and development in the revenue sector."
The NBR chairman also said that his organisation would hold dialogue, workshop and discussion meeting with the stakeholders regularly to take good decision that could be implemented. "I will not take any decision that can't be implemented."
The government fixed a target of Tk 438.50 billion from the revenue sector for the current fiscal year.
In the first quarter, the NBR collected Tk 93.01 billion against the target of Tk 90.51 billion.
Of the total, Tk 40.80 billion accounted for customs duty, Tk 32.18 billion from value-added tax (VAT), Tk 18.80 billion from income tax and Tk 1226 million from other heads.
The growth in the revenue sector in the first quarter of the fiscal is 21.33 per cent.
"This will take time… once lost it takes a while to get back confidence," Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Hossain Khaled told UNB after his meeting with the new NBR Chairman Mohammad Abdul Majid in the city Monday.
But he praised the government initiative for reforms in the business sector, such as Bangladesh Better Business Forum, to restore confidence among the business people.
The DCCI president said that due to various reform programmes in the country, the businesses might have faced some adverse impact for the time being. "But this must be kept at a tolerable level."
The business community on September 5 at a meeting with the Chief Adviser said one of the pressing challenges faced by the business community is the 'fear factor' created by the anti-corruption drive, taxation drive and seeking information on bank accounts and source of money.
Some of them openly pointed their fingers at the former NBR chairman Badiur Rahman for the stalemate in the business sector.
Later, the government removed Badiur Rahman from the NBR.
The DCCI delegation in the meeting with the new NBR chairman on the day reiterated voiced the fear factor especially due to the taxation drive.
Meeting sources said the NBR chairman assured them of not harassing the businessmen without any valid reason.
Meanwhile, NBR chairman Abdul Majid briefing newsmen after the meeting said he would continue his organisation's utmost effort to fulfil the revenue target.
"We want to surpass the target, not only touch the target," he said.
"And for that we will take two types of initiative. One is revenue collection and restoration of (businessmen's) lost confidence, and the other is research and development in the revenue sector."
The NBR chairman also said that his organisation would hold dialogue, workshop and discussion meeting with the stakeholders regularly to take good decision that could be implemented. "I will not take any decision that can't be implemented."
The government fixed a target of Tk 438.50 billion from the revenue sector for the current fiscal year.
In the first quarter, the NBR collected Tk 93.01 billion against the target of Tk 90.51 billion.
Of the total, Tk 40.80 billion accounted for customs duty, Tk 32.18 billion from value-added tax (VAT), Tk 18.80 billion from income tax and Tk 1226 million from other heads.
The growth in the revenue sector in the first quarter of the fiscal is 21.33 per cent.