Matia for withdrawal of excise duty on bank accounts
Agriculture minister urged finance minister not to reduce the interest
rate on saving certificates saying
that it will affect senior citizens badly
BSS
Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury yesterday strongly urged the government to consider and withdraw the excise duty on bank accounts and interest rate slaped on the savings letters belonged to the lower and middle income people in the proposed budget for fiscal 2017-2018, reports BSS.
Nearly 70 to 75 lakh people who are mostly lower and middle income people in the country would have to pay Tk 200 crore under the proposed budget which is unacceptable, she said while participating in the general discussion on the national budget for the seventh day in the House.
In the proposed budget, the finance minister has imposed Tk 800 instead of Tk 500 against the accumulated savings ranging from Tk 1,000,01 to 10,000,00, which would affect the huge number of the countrys lower and middle income people, Matia said.
She called upon the government to reconsider the proposed excise and interest rate cut on the savings certificates and bank accounts, adding, If the government withdraw the proposed interest rate cut which would be an accumulated loss of only Tk 355 crore and it is a nothing but a peanut in comparison to the size of the proposed budget.
Taking part in the budget discussion, state minister for women and children Meher Afroz Chumki described the proposed national budget for the fiscal 2017-18 as a pragmatic, pro-people, balanced and welfare-oriented for speedy development.
Common people of the country have no negative criticism on the budget as it has been proved as a trustworthy financial instrument for the self-sufficient Bangladesh in near future, she said.
Highlighting her ministrys success, the state minister said that the government has undertaken various initiatives to improve womens living standard and ensure childrens rights under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
During the budget discussion, lawmakers from both treasury and opposition benches, expressed their optimistic view that the government would be able to implement the budgets all development programmes to achieve the targeted 7.4 per cent growth in the GDP next fiscal under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, worthy daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
They mentioned that the country achieved tremendous success in different sectors including education, economic, agricultures, power, ICT, food and other related sectors.
Earlier, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on June 1 placed a Tk 4002.66 billion national budget for 2017-18 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at 7.4 per cent and detailing a set of programmes to transform the country into a role model of modern and welfare state by 2041.
They paid their heartfelt tribute to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyred freedom fighters and also those who made their supreme sacrifices during the War of Liberation and all subsequent democratic movements in the country.
Treasury bench members Mir Shawkat Ali Badsha, Mrinal Kanti Das, Nurul Islam Sujon, Dilara Begum, Joya Sengupta, Abdul Mazid Mondol, Golam Mostafa(Nilphamary-3 ), Golam Mostafa (Gaibandha-1), Jatiya Party lawmakers Begum Rawshan Ara Mannan, Shahanara Begum, lawmaker from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Nazmul Haq Prodhan, lawmaker from Bangladesher Workers Party Fazley Hossen Badsha and independent lawmaker M Abdul Matin took part in the general discussion.
Earlier, the sitting of the house resumed today at 10.56 am with Speaker DrShirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. The session adjourned with deputy speaker Advocate Fazley Rabbi Mia in the chair at 3.15 pm and the session will resume at 10.30 am on May 18 (Sunday).
