Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today (22 April) said the government will take swift action to remove dealers appointed during the “fascist regime” to ease the suffering of farmers and check the artificial crisis of fertiliser.

He made the remarks while replying to a question in this regard from Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni after the prime minister’s question-answer session in the House.

“The chief whip raised an important issue, and I noticed that the whole House welcomed it,” the prime minister said, adding that if there is agreement across the House, the government will certainly take quick action in this regard.

Earlier, the chief whip alleged that dealers, currently involved in rationing and fertiliser distribution, are harassing farmers and trying to create an artificial crisis in the market.

He said, “Bangladesh is an agriculture-dependent country. Ensuring food security, reducing poverty, and driving economic growth all depend significantly on the agricultural sector.

However, the sector faces multiple challenges due to climate change, population growth, shrinking arable land, and technological limitations.”

He said old dealer appointments should be cancelled and new ones should be appointed to ensure farmers get fertiliser at fair prices and to remove “fascist elements” from the system.

Members of Parliament thumped their desks in support during the question.

Universal healthcare a key priority

Replying to a starred question from opposition MP Hafez Muhammad Rabiul Bashar (Satkhira-3), the prime minister said ensuring universal health coverage under the “Health for All” policy is a key priority of the government’s election manifesto, reports UNB.

He said the government is committed to ensuring quality healthcare services across the country, including in remote areas.

“The government has already taken plans to improve medical infrastructure, increase manpower and provide modern medical equipment,” Tarique Rahman said.

A project has been proposed to assess the feasibility of constructing, renovating, upgrading and repairing healthcare infrastructure at the upazila level, he added.

“If approved, steps will be taken to increase bed capacity and improve facilities at upazila hospitals based on the recommendations,” the prime minister said.

Awareness drives on public health

Replying to another starred question from ruling party MP Md Showkatul Islam (Moulvibazar-2), the prime minister said the government has undertaken various programmes to raise awareness on family and public health.

He said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is carrying out awareness campaigns from the grassroots to the national level on healthcare, family planning, maternal and child health, and public health protection.

Tarique Rahman said services, including maternal care, safe institutional delivery, postnatal care, nutrition support and family planning, are being provided through hospitals, community clinics and union health centres across the country.

He said initiatives such as satellite clinics, school health education programmes, counselling, media campaigns and family planning awareness activities are helping address issues like adolescent care, child marriage prevention, birth spacing and violence against women.

The prime minister said the government is also running programmes to control communicable and non-communicable diseases, promote public health education, and expand telemedicine and health information services.

He said regular campaigns such as National Sanitation Month in October, World Handwashing Day on 15 October and World Water Day on 22 March are also observed to promote hygiene and public health practices.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat has directed the authorities concerned to take necessary preparatory measures for the revival of the Dhaka-Narita air route, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Bangladesh’s international aviation connectivity.

The instruction came during a high-level review meeting held this morning in the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism at the Bangladesh Secretariat, reads a press release.

The meeting primarily discussed the strategic roadmap for expanding the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and enhancing its operational capacity in the coming years.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines announced temporary suspension of its direct flights on the Dhaka-Narita-Dhaka route, effective from 1 July last year.

The national flag carrier has taken the decision due to operational constraints stemming from ongoing Hajj operations, aircraft shortages, and prevailing commercial considerations, said a Biman press release on 18 May 2025.

On 1 September 2023 Biman resumed its Dhaka-Narita flight with an aim to make the Bangladesh-Japan direct air connectivity a profitable route.

Biman had suspended its Dhaka-Tokyo route in 2006 as at that time it was not commercially viable, and there was a lack of sufficient aircraft, said aviation stakeholders.

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) has proposed the introduction of an e-corporate tax return system and a mobile app to streamline VAT collection across the country. 

The proposals were presented at a pre-budget discussion for the 2026-27 fiscal year held at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) headquarters in Agargaon today (22 April).

Speaking on behalf of DCCI, Acting Secretary General Dr AKM Asaduzzaman Patwari outlined key recommendations aimed at simplifying tax compliance and enhancing revenue collection.

The chamber proposed raising the tax-free income threshold for individuals to Tk5 lakh, gradually phasing out surcharge, and reducing tax deducted at source (TDS) on deposit interest.

It also recommended lowering the corporate tax rate for non-listed companies from 27.5% to 25%, particularly for firms complying with banking and digital transaction requirements. For listed securities, DCCI proposed maintaining the TDS rate at 5%.

According to the proposal, the e-corporate tax system would allow businesses to file returns online through a fully integrated digital platform, reducing paperwork, time and costs. It would also include automated processes for appeals and tax refunds through bank transfers.

DCCI further suggested allowing taxpayers to carry forward excess TDS to the next fiscal year or claim refunds within 90 days.

The chamber said such measures would improve transparency, reduce errors, and encourage more companies to get listed on the stock market.

However, National Board of Revenue Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan said, “We have to increase revenue collection, not reduce taxes. To do that, we have to expand the tax net.”

He added that while reducing corporate tax and TDS rates is not possible, the revenue authority is working to strengthen the refund management system.

He also said instructions have been given to ensure proper tax compliance by building owners during plan approvals.

He advised former Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Mir Nasir to pay 15% VAT and claim input VAT refunds, noting that the effective rate would not exceed around 3% after considering value addition.

He also identified truncated VAT rates as a key reason behind difficulties faced by many businesses.

Mir Nasir, however, said construction firms and government contractors often lack the scope to claim refunds due to value addition constraints.

“I am not getting the benefits of being a listed company, as TDS realised taxes exceed 15% of our profit margin,” he said, adding that the provision to carry forward advance TDS offers little practical relief.

Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) President Anwar Ul Alam Parvez urged reducing TDS on exports to 0.5% from 1%, citing mounting challenges for exporters.

He also called for removing the provision of a 1% turnover tax as a minimum tax, describing it as a major barrier for SMEs, and sought clarification of Sections 147, 212 and 127 to prevent taxpayer harassment.

He further proposed introducing a fixed tax amount for small enterprises.