Mobile sets
The proposed budget for the FY 2009-2010 has many new features. For the first time public-private partnership investment plan is going to be incorporated in the ADP. But some aspects of the budget are mind-boggling. Imposition of flat tax rate on different consumer items is unconvincing. Same thing might be used as necessity as well as luxury item. For example, low priced mobile phone sets are used by common people as necessity. Whereas the costly ones are the luxury of the affluent people. So the government should differentiate between necessity & luxury. Here progressive rate of taxation is relevant. So the mobile sets priced below Tk.10,000 shouldn't see higher tax rate proposed in the budget. Rather sets priced above Tk.10,000 should see progressive rate of taxation. Those who argue that under invoicing might be a problem should learn that the prices of different brands of mobile sets are displayed on the websites of the companies concerned. So the common people hope for the finance minister's prudence in this regard.
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