Waive tax on imported goods, services : Hoteliers

Dhaka : The owners of hotels, motels, resorts and guesthouses in Bangladesh on February 22 demanded tax waivers on the goods imported and services rendered by their businesses in order to develop the local tourism sector and attract more foreign travellers.
Currently, owners have to pay a huge amount of duty to import the equipment and products used by their businesses, and value-added tax on services rendered.
This was raised at a meeting of the standing committee on hotel, motel, resorts and guest house development of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) held at the FBCCI office in the capital's Motijheel.
"We pay a huge amount of duty to import the products and equipment required to ensure modern facilities for foreign tourists," said Mohammed Hakim Ali, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Hotel Agrabad in Chattogram. 
Besides, the tourism sector has to pay 37 per cent income tax, which hampers the sector's development. "And as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has almost destroyed the hospitality industry, we, the owners, demand tax exemptions to compensate our losses," Ali added.
Joining the meeting virtually, FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu urged the standing committee to find out the problems and possible solutions in the sector and submit it to the FBCCI in the form of a proposal. He said the matter would be discussed by the policy-making body of the government considering the proposal.