News Briefs-(04-07-2019)

VAT on sanitary
napkin waived,
says NBR
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has said the misleading information in the online and social media about imposition of VAT on sanitary napkin is unexpected. In a statement it has said the board has waived VAT on the item instead of slapping any tax. In the budget, it has withdrawn Value Added Tax (VAT) and Supplementary Duty (SD) on import of raw materials for sanitary napkin to keep its production cost low. In the statement, the board said the prices of sanitary napkin would go down with the exemption and it would be affordable for women. On June 28 last an organisation named 'the sixth sense' formed a human chain in front of the National Museum in the city protesting against imposition of VAT on the item. The NBR said it was part of propaganda and the people should not be confused about it.— FE Report

Take innovative initiatives to ease civic facilities: Tajul
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tajul Islam has stressed the need for making civic amenities easy by taking innovative initiatives. "If proper initiatives are taken with honest endeavour, public services will, of course, be easier and people-friendly," said the minister. He was addressing the "Innovation Showcasing' function organised by the Local Government Division at the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) auditorium in the city on Tuesday. — BSS