Shop owners urged the government to let keep shops and malls open by imposing strict health measures instead of enforcing further lockdown after April 20 for the sake of the country’s economy and the people’s livelihood.
Bangladesh Shop Owners’ Association made the request as part of a three-point demand stated in a press release on Tuesday for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s consideration.
“One-third of our annual turnover depends on Ramadan and Eid shopping. Nevertheless, the nationwide lockdown from April 7 to 13 was expanded until April 20 with tighter measures,” said shop owners in the press release, highlighting that a further lockdown would damage the overall economy.
They also demanded installation of electronic fiscal device machines in all shops across the country within the next two years for VAT collection and insisted the government to collect four per cent VAT at source for all types of retail and wholesale businesses during this time to accumulate more revenue.
“The government fixed a VAT-free turnover at Tk 50 lakh in the 2019-20 fiscal for the benefit of the retailers. However, the National Board of Revenue stayed the provision in FY2020-21, which is a strategy to bring small and extremely small businesses under VAT. It is unacceptable,” the press release also read.
The organisation, as its third point, demanded to restore the provision.
mr/teb/am
