ICT trade bodies have expressed their concern as tax reduction on software in the proposed budget for 2018-19 fiscal may hamper the growth of local software industry.
Speaking at a post-budget briefing on Sunday, Syed Almas Kabir, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) said, “The customs charge on all software imports has been proposed to reduce from 25 per cent to 5 per cent and VAT too has been proposed to withdraw.”
“This move will encourage importing foreign software, affecting the domestic software manufacturing industry dangerous,” he said.
Kabir said, “BASIS only proposed to reduce customs charge on operating system, database, development tools and cyber-security software which Bangladesh lacks in producing.”
Representatives from Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), Internet Service Providers Association Bangladesh, also Bangladesh Association of Call Center and Outsourcing (BACCO) attended the briefing.