DHAKA: Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said the government has imposed 10 per cent duty on import of rice from Sunday.

He made the disclosure while addressing a view exchange meeting on “Budget of 2015-16 fiscal year’ at NEC conference room of planning ministry around 4:00pm in the day.

The minister elaborated, “The price of rice has fallen in the country. Farmers are in trouble. To protect them, 10 percent duty has been imposed on rice import. The decision was taken on Sunday at an emergency basis and it is being implemented from the day.”

Four Parliamentary Standing Committees on Finance, Planning, Public Accounts and Public Institutions took part in the meeting.

Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Shawkat Chaudhry said, not only 10 percent, you should impose more duty on rice import. Lots of imported rice has captured markets of the country. There is no other means in our hand to protect rice farmers.

Welcoming the impose of duty on rice imports, the Member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts Shamsul Haque Tuku said steps would also have to take in order to save industries of local paper and sugar.

Government Institutions’ Standing Committee member Abdur Rauf said tolls should be imposed on Aricha Ghat.

He also proposed to increase the tax coverage in towns and rural areas.

Mohibur Rahman Manik, member of the Standing Committee on Finance, said on Friday the offices should have half-day operations and Sunday should be announced as holiday.

Because, globally Sunday is the holiday, unfortunately we are moving the opposite way, he explained.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, state minister for planning MA Mannan, former Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak, former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, former deputy speaker Shawkat Ali were also present during the time.

BDST: 2011 HRS, MAY 10, 2015
RS/SMS