Withdraw VAT on computers: BCS

The Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) on Sunday urged the government to withdraw proposed value added tax (VAT) on computers and related accessories.

The prices of computers and accessories would go up by 11 per cent if the proposal for VAT made in the budget for fiscal year 2018-19 is approved, it said.

Opposing the government's such move, the Computer Samity said the imposition of additional VAT would also come as a blow to the country's digitisation process.

Leaders of the Samity made the remarks at a post-budget press conference at the BCS innovation centre in the city.

BCS president Engineer Subrata Sarker, vice president Yusuf Ali Shamim and secretary general Mosharaf Hossain Sumon were present.

Subrata Sarker said the BCS is committed to implementing the government's automation and digitisation programmes at all public and private levels.

So, it is necessary to exempt the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) from VAT fully, he added.

As UPS and IPS are essential to ensure uninterrupted power supply to computers, the government should not impose proposed 15 per cent VAT, he said.

The BCS leader also demanded exemption of VAT on the house rent, saying that the 15 per cent VAT on house rent of ICT-based institutions is not business-friendly.

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