More tax for better service: Muhith to businesses

Finance Minister AMA Muhtih today advised people, particularly entrepreneurs, to pay more tax to get better services from the state.

"You should provide more resources to the government so that it can provide those services which factories were supposed to create to curb environmental pollution," he said citing establishment of effluent and sludge disposal facilities by the state.

His call came at a seminar on Promoting Green Industrial Policy in Bangladesh: Opportunities and Challenges at Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).

The MCCI in association with The Asia Foundation, and Centre on Budget and Policy of the University of Dhaka jointly organised the event.

Muthih said various initiatives are there for effluent disposal. The government also sets up a central effluent treatment plant for tanneries at Leather Industrial Park at Dhaka's outskirt Savar.   

But there is no organised arrangement for sludge disposal. In Savar Leather Park, there will be some organised arrangement for sludge disposal, he said.

He said it would be easier for private sector if the government takes the responsibility to create facilities for effluent and sludge disposal.

"But it requires increased revenue collection as the existing revenue is inadequate for the government to give the solution. That revenue comes from the rich people of the country. A large portion of rich people are industrial investments and have business," he said.

"So ultimately, it appears to me that government revenue should be increased for providing public services for the private sector," he said, citing establishment of effluent and sludge disposal by the government.

He said it is difficult for an industry to establish an ETP. For this a combination of industrial units is essential, he added.

Industrial zoning is also very important especially for Bangladesh where land is scarce. But we are yet to do that, he said.