Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin has dismissed the speculations of any secret deal with the United States in exchange for the reciprocal tariff reduction on Bangladeshi exports from 35 percent to 20 percent, saying all discussions prioritised the national interests.

“There is no room to ignore our own interests,” he said during an informal interview with journalists in Washington on Friday.

“Whatever we did, we did by prioritising our country—just as the US prioritises its national security," the adviser said.

When asked about the full disclosure of the agreement, the adviser said a joint statement may be issued soon and the details will be shared with the consent of the United States.

“Any components that might affect our interests had been resolved through discussions,” he added.

He also noted that a Bangladeshi business delegation is currently in the USA, and "they will not do anything that goes against their own interests."

Regarding speculations about Bangladesh agreeing to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft as part of the deal, the adviser clarified, “The US never mentioned anything about Boeings. Instead, they have shown interest in food, agricultural products and fuel.”

Regarding achievements in the aviation sector, the adviser expressed optimism, stating, “We are working to ensure transparency and carrying out necessary reforms in the sector."

"Hopefully, during our tenure, we will implement structural reforms within the ministry that will benefit those who come after us,” he added.

MSH

Companies and organisations will be required to file tax returns on the income generated by employee welfare funds from the current fiscal year and pay a 27.5 percent tax on the earnings. 

The Income Tax Act 2023 incorporates the provision, lifting the tax exemption and amnesty on the compulsion to file returns for funds such as provident funds, gratuity funds and workers' profit participation funds maintained by the private sector.

The law, however, has exempted government-managed provident funds from taxation, raising questions.

TIM Nurul Kabir, executive director of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said there were many other avenues to collect tax.

"Employees benefit from provident funds after their retirement. So, the authority should not slap taxes on retirement benefit."

He said while levying the tax, the government has not treated provident funds of the private and public sectors equally.

"It is discriminatory," he said, adding that they would appeal to the tax authority for the withdrawal of the tax on income from provident funds.

Debabrata Roy Chowdhury, director for legal, regulatory and corporate affairs at Nestlé Bangladesh PLC, said the introduction of income tax on trust funds would lower the overall income from such schemes.

"This will have an adverse long-term impact on retired employees of private organisations."

Chowdhury urged the authority to address the issue in line with the spirit of the government's initiatives aimed at ensuring social security for private sector employees.

"The recent introduction of the universal pension scheme for private sector employees is a good example of that."

A senior official of the NBR, on condition of anonymity, said the income of government-managed provident funds was exempted in line with the Provident Fund Act 1925.

He said provident funds under the private sector had been historically exempted and there was no requirement to submit tax returns. As a result, it was unclear whether the funds were properly utilised.

"From now onwards, we will see proper disclosure."

The tax official said the contribution of payroll tax is about 3 percent of the total income tax although it should increase as the economy is growing.

Md Shahadat Hossain, a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, said income from investment in savings certificates, where people invest as a source of future earnings, is already taxed.

"From that perspective, the imposition of tax on provident and other employee welfare funds seems okay."

However, Towfiqul Islam Khan, senior research fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, said social protection for private sector employees was low.

"Provident and other workers' welfare-related funds provide little social protection. The imposition of tax will increase inequality. But there can't be any discrimination in taxation between private and government provident funds."

Khan, citing the latest income tax law that replaced the Income Tax Ordinance 1984, said the NBR tried to find new avenues to increase tax collection and improve the nation's revenue-gross domestic product ratio, which is one of the lowest in the world.

"We can see the desperation of the tax authority to boost collection. This ultimately reveals the inability of the NBR to catch the tax evaders and illicit money makers."