Speakers at a roundtable feared that the duties imposed on computer accessories would create obstacles on the way of building Digital Bangladesh.
Experts in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) attending the roundtable, expressed that the government, committed towards a digital Bangladesh, should revise the taxation in its first annual budget on products essential for the industry to expand.
Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum (BIJF) organised the post-budget roundtable at the BCS conference room on Monday.
President of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), Mostafa Jabbar, Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) President, Akhteruzzaman Manju, BCS Computer City's President Mojibur Rahman Shawpan, Nokia Emerging Asia's Head of Marketing, Nowfel Anwar, Sony Ericsson's representative Mahmud Bin Alam, Bangladesh Telecentre Network's Chief Operating Officer, Mahmud Hassan, University of Liberal Arts' head of Computer Science Department, Dr. Syed Akhter Hossain, General Secretary of BCS Computer City A H M Abdul Muktadir, Direct of Index IT Limited Aziz Rahman, Director (Finance) of Computer Source Limited Samsul Huda and General Secretary of BIJF Mojahidul Islam.
Moderated by BIJF president Mohammad Kawsar Uddin, speakers at the roundtable organised at the BCS conference room emphasized on the need for making computer and its accessories within the reach of people for the growth of ICT industry. 'Although the budget awarded less fund allocation in the ICT sector than its demand, the government should lift the 3% duty and ATV on computers and accessories,' said BCS President Mostafa Jabbar suggesting the government to make the budget as the first step towards creating Digital Bangladesh.
ISPAB president Akhteruzzaman Manju welcoming budget said, 'there is no access to Internet in the country's 40,000 schools and colleges. It is important to lift vat from Internet bandwidth for the growth of Internet facility.'
Nowfel Anwar, head of marketing of Nokia Emerging Asia said, 'the opportunity to use Internet on mobile contributes to vast progress in the Internet industry. The industry will be adversely affected from the 25 percent duty announced on mobile phones in the budget.'
-New Nation
