In June 10 2014 World Bank published a report where they state that Bangladeshs export growth

slowed in the 1
st
quarter of 2014 because of the political unrest and there is an inflation over 7% in the
same period. Previously in a report World Bank assume GDP growth rate for Bangladesh will be 5.7% but
later they declare the GDP growth rate 5.4% for 2013-14. However the Bangladesh bureau of Statistics
estimates the growth at 6.1% in 2013-14. In January 2014 the global lender had projected 5.7% growth
in Bangladesh GDP a much lower forecast then the government growth target of 7.2%. The government
is now expecting 6.1% against the target of 7.2%. But in the budget 2014-15 the minister set the
ambitious GDP growth rate 7.3%. If the Bangladesh wants to achieve its targeted GDP growth rate then
it needs around 32% growth in overall investment. Whereas the recent investment rate is 26-29% due to
low demand for credit by the countrys private sector mainly because of political unrest and high lending
rates. So if we want to increase the investment we have to focus on landing rate and political stability.
Countrys mobile operators demanded 11
th
June withdrawal of the proposed Tk 300 SIM tax and Tk 100
SIM replacement tax for facilitating telecom sectors growth. They said the mobile operators are already
paying about Tk 55 to government for every Tk 100 they earn and the amount will be much higher once
the proposal will implemented. Last year the industry contributed more than 3% of the GDP growth.
The heavily tax burden proposed in the national budget for FY 2014-15 will undoubtedly create
hindrance to the government mission of digital Bangladesh by 2021. Because there is no incentive
facilities proposed for telecom sector in the proposed budget of 2014-15. With that the proposed 15%
VAT on mobile handset imports rising from 10% at present which increase the price of the imported
device. Mobile operators provide hi-speed internet facilities in everywhere in the country but it brings
nothing if the low income groups in remote villages could not use it because of their inability to
purchase a smart phone. So if government will not make further hike on mobile handset import tax and
VAT rate should be at a level so that people from all walks of life can afford it. It would be helpful for
government if it exempted the SIM tax as the number of mobile users would increase and it could earn
greater revenue.
Seven international standard sugar refineries have already been set up in the country of which five are
in operation with an annual production capacity of 3.45 million whereas the domestic demand of 1.7
million per year. So there is a possibility of exporting 1.85 million tons of sugar in every year and it is
possible to earn foreign currency worth Tk 80 billion annually. But now five private sugar refiners had
been facing a large amount of loss during the four fiscal years. The amount of loss is Tk 22 billion in FY
2010-11 until the outgoing FY 2013-14. The reason for the loss is Unhealthy competition in the local
sugar market some refiners also defaulters in some banks. There are also Excess production but less
local demand and decrease price of raw sugar in international market. To save the private refiners and
also earn the foreign currency government can take some necessary steps- Extend loan repayment
period for adjusting the losses, Duty free facility in the international market, and allows Subsidy in sugar
export.