The SMILE project, in collaboration with the Jalalabad Disabled Rehab Centre and Hospital (JDRCH), celebrated the closing ceremony of the 'Restoring Mobility: Artificial Limb Support' intervention, held at Grand Sylhet. 

The event marked the successful provision of prosthetic and orthotic devices to 60 beneficiaries from Sylhet and Nabiganj upazilas, many of whom have lived with physical disabilities for years without access to affordable rehabilitation services.

The closing ceremony was graced by distinguished guests, including the Secretary, Coordination & Monitoring, Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, as chief guest. 

Joining the occasion were Eric M. Walker, Managing Director and President, Chevron Bangladesh; Muhammad Imrul Kabir, Director, Corporate Affairs, Chevron Bangladesh; A K M Arif Akter, Head of Social Investment, Chevron Bangladesh; Helal Hussain, Country Director, Swisscontact; and Rtn. PP Engr. Shoaib Ahmed Matin, Chairman, Board of Trustees, JDRCH. 

Their presence underscored the shared commitment to inclusive development and the transformative power of collaboration in building resilient communities. 

Representatives from Chevron Bangladesh, Swisscontact, JDRCH, Rotary Club of Jalalabad, and beneficiaries of the initiative also attended, reflecting a united effort toward meaningful social impact.

Speaking at the event, chief guest Md. Abdul Mannan highlighted the broader social significance of the artificial limb support, emphasizing that such interventions go far beyond medical assistance. He further said, "I sincerely appreciate Chevron Bangladesh, Swisscontact and JDRCH, whose collective partnership and expertise have improved mobility, and hope for persons with disabilities, demonstrating the power of collaborative action in creating meaningful societal change."

Eric M. Walker, in his address, emphasized Chevron's community partnership engagements, saying, "Nearly 80 percent of people have limited access to such specialized support, and being part of an initiative that delivers personalized care truly warms my heart, every step taken by these beneficiaries is a strong step toward a better tomorrow."

Echoing this sentiment, Helal Hussain said, "This initiative was impactful and went beyond just mobility, it enabled them to return to work, continue education, actively engage in social life, and contribute economically while fostering greater inclusion within their communities."

Muhammad Imrul Kabir, in his speech said that "Chevron has been a trusted energy partner to Bangladesh for over three decades, and our commitment goes beyond powering progress. Through initiatives like the SMILE project, we strive to create inclusive opportunities that restore mobility and dignity. Our initiatives in Bangladesh support 9 out of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, including health, education, and inclusion for people with disabilities."

One of the most powerful moments of the ceremony was the heartfelt testimonies shared by several beneficiaries. They spoke about the profound transformation these artificial limbs have brought to their daily lives, from regaining mobility and independence to returning to work, education, and household responsibilities.  

While household income stabilizes and personal confidence grows, a positive ripple effect spreads, strengthening families, enhancing community resilience, and contributing to broader socioeconomic development. 

Building on this foundation, Chevron Bangladesh and Swisscontact, through the SMILE project, have been working relentlessly to improve livelihoods and uplift communities through sustainable and impactful development initiatives. 

Together, with a shared mission to significantly enhance the quality of life for individuals requiring orthotic and prosthetic support, they have collaboratively brought measurable, meaningful change to the communities they serve.

END/PRESS RELEASE

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."