Dhaka, Apr 13 (V7N) – Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has assured that there will be no additional tax imposed in the next national budget, despite concerns over rising financial pressure on the economy.

He made the remarks at a pre-budget discussion organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday.

The Commerce Minister said that budget expansion in recent years had not been matched by equivalent economic capacity, adding that spending on several “unnecessary projects” has created additional financial strain on the economy. However, he stressed that the government will avoid introducing new taxes in the upcoming fiscal plan.

He also spoke about the energy sector, noting that rising global prices of LNG and crude oil are making price adjustments difficult. He added that if a two-month fuel reserve had been maintained, reliance on costly spot market purchases with subsidies could have been avoided.

DCCI President Taskin Ahmed said that Bangladesh’s import- and export-dependent businesses are facing challenges due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which are affecting production and supply chains.

Business leaders at the discussion called for a more business-friendly budget, suggesting that the tax-free income threshold should be raised to Tk 500,000 and the maximum personal income tax rate reduced to 20 percent.

END/SMA/AJ