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FOCUS ON FAIRNESS AND REVENUE BALANCE

Officials said the prime minister has instructed policymakers to ensure that any proposed wealth tax does not unfairly affect people who depend only on regular income, while higher-income groups may face stricter scrutiny.

“The focus is to make sure lower-income groups are affected as little as possible,” a senior official involved in the discussions said.

The discussions also included plans to reduce the tax burden on essential goods by placing more items under a lower tax slab.

Officials said some essential products may be brought under a uniform 0.5 percent source tax to simplify the system and ease pressure on consumers.

“There is no move to increase the turnover tax further. The emphasis is on expanding the tax base instead,” an official said regarding turnover tax policy.

Alongside tax relief measures, environmental issues were also a key focus of the discussions.

Officials said the prime minister stressed that fiscal and taxation policies should be designed to support environmental sustainability.

For motorcycles, the prime minister instructed setting the tax rate at Tk 1,000 for 111cc to 125cc bikes, Tk 3,000 for 126cc to 165cc bikes, and Tk 5,000 annually for motorcycles above 165cc, according to meeting sources.

The government is also reviewing taxation and regulatory policies for motorcycles, electric vehicles, and battery-run vehicles as part of a broader transport tax framework.

Officials said discussions on provisions related to undisclosed money and special investment opportunities are still ongoing, and no final decision has been made.

They added that the proposed measures reflect the government’s effort to balance revenue collection with controlling inflation, expanding social protection, and supporting green transition goals ahead of the next fiscal year.

The prime minister also approved a proposal to raise the excise duty exemption threshold on bank deposits to Tk 5 lakh from the next fiscal year.

In addition, prices of tobacco products and foreign liquor may increase as part of efforts to discourage consumption and raise revenue.

The advance income tax on luxury vehicles, including private cars with engine capacities above 3,500cc, is set to rise from Tk 2 lakh to Tk 1o lakh.

However, the existing advance income tax of Tk 25,000 for vehicles with engine capacities of up to 1,500cc will remain unchanged.