PM instructs disposing of tax-related cases promptly

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed the law ministry and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Tuesday to promptly resolve pending tax-related cases in the courts to bolster the revenue income.
She directed the law ministry during the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting on Tuesday in Dhaka, as reported by Planning Minister MA Mannan to journalists after the meeting.
Currently, over 8,000 cases involving Tk 229.72 billion are awaiting resolution in the NBR's tribunals and the High Court for alleged tax evasion.
Tuesday's ECNEC meeting presided over by the PM approved 19 development projects with an estimated cost of Tk 180.66 billion.
Of the total cost, Tk 120.60 billion will be provided by the government, Tk 4.51 billion by the implementing agencies and the remaining Tk 55.55 billion from external resources in the form of project assistance, said the planning minister.
PM Hasina also asked the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and other relevant authorities to undertake development projects in line with the Delta Plan to access nearly US$1.0 billion from the Global Climate Fund.
While providing details to reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister Mannan said the issue of securing $1.0 billion from the climate fund had recently been discussed between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
While availing the fund, the Sundarbans would get the highest priority, said the minister.
While implementing development works in low-lying areas and haor areas, the prime minister asked the authorities to construct additional bridges and culverts to ensure the smooth drainage of monsoon water.
Asked about higher inflation, the planning minister told journalists that inflation had increased in August and assured that the government was closely monitoring the situation.
"Inflation last month rose primarily due to the high prices of chickens and eggs, which have had a ripple effect on other food items," he said.
State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said the government might consider increasing the interest rate to curb the inflation rate.
However, he also noted that a high interest rate might slow down the pace of investment, potentially leading to reduced growth.
Dr Alam dismissed the allegation that the government is massively printing money to combat inflation, adding that the usual practice is to print money to replace old and torn banknotes.
He said the country typically experiences high inflation in the months of August and September, coinciding with higher rainfall, which has somewhat hindered the production process and the supply side.
He said, "But there was no significant crop damage due to the flood this year. Hopefully, inflation will start to decrease again from November, as there have been no such supply side disruptions."
Responding to a question, Dr Alam said due to the government's policy interventions, general inflation has remained within the double digits despite global conditions; otherwise, it could have reached 13 to 14 per cent.
He said when inflation rises, it can do so rapidly, but when it starts to decline, the factor of price rigidity becomes significant.
The ECNEC approved a Tk 42.83 billion project to facilitate the expansion and modernisation of facilities at Mongla Port in Bagerhat. The Mongla Port Authority will oversee the project, with completion scheduled by June 2027.
Of the total cost, Tk 37.82 billion will be borrowed from China on a government-to-government basis.
The development project encompasses enhancements in container handling, the construction of container terminals, as well as improvements to the delivery yard and container yard, along with upgraded hazardous cargo handling facilities.
The meeting was attended by ECNEC members and high-ranking officials from the Planning Commission.

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