In the 2018-19 proposed budget, 5 per cent VAT on retail sale of computers has been withdrawn.

So, computers will be cheaper though the VAT on imported software stays.

Post, telecommunication and information technology minister, Mostafa Jabbar, told Bangla Tribune on Monday.

This decision was taken, keeping the digital Bangladesh motto in mind, he said.

After the budget was place at the national parliament, computer business organisation, Bangladesh Computer Samity, BCS, was apprehensive of price hike in computer parts.

Saying that such a move would halt the digital Bangladesh drive, computer traders demanded withdrawal of Advanced Trade Vat (ATV).

However, only the 5 per cent VAT on retail sales was scrapped. Meanwhile, this year’s budget proposal suggested reduction of VAT from 25 per cent to 15 per cent for database operating system, developments tool, productivity automatic data processing machines and collaboration softwares.