FBCCI demands declaration of public importance industry and tax reduction for newspapers

The Standing Committee on Press and Media of FBCCI has demanded to make the tax imposed on all media including newspapers, television, online and to declare the newspaper industry as an industry of public importance.

The meeting was held at FBCCI Icon in Motijheel on Tuesday (May 21). FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam was the chief guest of the meeting. It was chaired by the chairman of the committee and former director of FBCCI M. Shoaib Chowdhury. FBCCI director was present as director in-charge. Rakibul Alam (Dipu).

FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam said that the role of media in Bangladesh's development progress has been immense since independence movement. The mass media of the country is also making an important contribution to our business, trade and economic development. Press and media have to play a more responsible role in building a smart Bangladesh to face the challenges of the future. For this, the sustainable development of the newspaper industry must be ensured. In addition, media owners are urged to come forward to ensure other compliances including salaries and allowances of media workers.

FBCCI Senior Vice President Md. Amin Helali.
Standing Committee Chairman M. Shoaib Chowdhury said, like other industries, media also has to survive by doing business. So like other sectors media should be given some facilities. Tax on paper, ink, printing materials should be reduced. Existing taxes on television bandwidth also need to be reduced.

Director in charge of the committee. Rakibul Alam (Dipu) said that a strategy paper will be prepared on the initiative of the committee to eliminate the crisis in the media and a seminar will be organized soon with the relevant policy makers and stakeholders including the Minister of State for Information and Commerce. For this, the committee members should submit specific opinions in written form.