‘Keep small businesses in N-dists out of VAT net’

They also suggested formation of a government body to make VAT collection easy.

The seminar on 'VAT Problems and Ways to Solve Them', participated by businessmen and customs officials, was organised by the Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (RCCI) at its conference room.

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Joint Commissioner of Customs Excise and VAT read out the keynote paper at the seminar, chaired by RCCI President Mostafa Azad Chowdhury.

Business leaders said they do not want to evade VAT.

They urged the government to reassess whether the poor people in northern districts have the ability of pay VAT.

They also discussed several options in VAT collection, which they claimed would be simpler than the existing cumbersome process.

Mostafa Azad Chowdhury said more than 80 per cent people in the eight northern districts live bellow the poverty level.

"I have the experiences that most of the consumers (people) in the districts do not have the ability to pay VAT for all goods.

So government should exclude them from VAT," he added.