Tax rebate proposed for employing transgender people

To ensure employment, standard living, and social and economic integration of members of the transgender community in Bangladesh, the government has proposed to enact special tax incentives in the proposed budget for those who will employ transgender workers.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed a tax rebate for employers who will recruit 10 percent of their total workforce -- or more than 100 workers -- from the community.

"The rebate will amount to 75 percent of the total salary paid to workers from the transgender community, or five percent of the payable tax, whichever is lower," he said while presenting the budget yesterday.

"The present government is relentlessly working to integrate the marginal and underprivileged population of the country into mainstream society and economy," he said.

Ivan Ahmed Katha, president of Shachetan Shamjasheba Hijra Shanga, an organisation that works to protect rights of the transgender community, said this undoubtedly is a very good initiative, but it should not just remain on paper.

"Also, monitoring is needed to ensure that organisations don't just employ one or two transgender employees to receive tax cut and social appreciation," she added. "This will not help the community as a whole."

Meanwhile, the government also proposed a five percent tax rebate for employers who will recruit 10 percent of their total workforce from persons with disabilities.

However, the announcement could not bring any hope for the group.

For example, Shirin Akhter, chairperson of Women with Disabilities Development Foundation (WDDF), said a similar rebate was proposed in the earlier budget, but it could not bring any change to the life and employment situation of persons with disabilities.

"There must be proper monitoring to ensure that the decision will actually help us," said Shirin.

"In addition, this year's budget hasn't brought any change in allowances for persons with disabilities. Can you imagine how will they survive with Tk 750 per month, and even for that, they need to wait for three to six months," she added. "In fact, many need to bribe employees of social welfare department to receive the allowance," she claimed.