"Highest Priority Should Be Given To Controlling Commodity Prices"

For the last two years the Inflation rate has been crossed over 9 percent in the country. Due to price hike of the commodities, the common people are in dire straits. In this reality, the Member of Parliament (Jhenaidah-2) advised to give the highest priority to reduce the price of goods in the budget of the next fiscal year 2024-25. Nasser Shahrear Zahedee Mohul MP.

He said at the discussion that reducing the price of goods should be given the highest priority in the budget. The government should take effective steps to solve the issues. Besides, he urged to reduce the violence of the middlemen by ensuring fair price of the products produced by the farmers.

He said these things at a discussion meeting titled 'Budget 2024-25: Key Challenges and Transition' organized by Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID) at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday (April 2).

Highlighting the importance of education and research, Nasser Shahrear Zahedee Mohul said that instead of giving cars to the bureaucrats, it is more important to increase the allocation of funds for the university research. He urged to ensure suitable environment for the employment of talented youth to prevent the trafficking of merits. Also he emphasized on increasing the allocation for education and research.

In order to increase the export of the pharmaceutical industry, Zahedee said that the regulatory bodies of the pharmaceutical industry should play a strong role and to stay away from the influence of the companies. At this time, he mentioned, the market of Europe, America and Middle East also needs to attain, otherwise won’t possible to go far regarding the export of medicines. He said, to do so medicines should be prepared with high quality raw materials as well as advanced technology as there’s arise no question about the quality of the medicines.

In the discussion meeting, the member of parliament said that people are interested in paying taxes. He said, there is a ‘Tahsil Office’ to collect land taxes at the union level. And there is tax activity up to the district level. Even at the upazila level, though the taxpayers have not increased whereas people's income level have increased.  Also additional opportunities to tax evaders or corrupt people is discouraging common taxpayers.

He said, our revenue collection has been stopped at a stage. Also is not able to reach the marginal level. People should be informed where taxes are being used. People will feel more interest to pay taxes if they are being informed about the benefits. Also they will have trust over the issue. 

Chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID). M. A. Razzak presided over and moderated the meeting. 

State Minister for Planning Shahiduzzaman Sarkar was present as Chief Guest. And Member of Parliament Nasser Shahrear Zahedee Mohul was present as special guest. 

Apart from this, former Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR) Abdul Majeed, DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed, Prothom Alo Head of Online Sakhawat Hossain Masum, President of Economic Reporters Forum Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mridha also participated to discussed in the meeting.

The main article was presented in the meeting by the executive director of RAPID and professor of Dhaka University. M Abu Yusuf.