The government will give priority to country’s ICT companies while rewarding ICT projects through simplifying Public Procurement Rules (PPR). The PPR will be simplified paving the passage for the local ICT firms to participate in ICT projects as they are now capable of handling national and international projects.
Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal said this at a meeting with the leaders of the Bangladesh Association of Software Information Service (BASIS) at the minister’s office recently. During the meeting, BASIS led by its President Syed Almas Kabir submitted a proposal for the upcoming budget for 2019-20.
The minister listened to BASIS proposals carefully and said, local companies are now capable of implementing national and international projects. At the meeting, Director General of Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) Md. Ali Noor, BASIS Vice President (Admin) Shoeb Ahmed Masud and BASIS Vice President (Finance) Mushfiqur Rahman were present.
The minister asked CPTU Director General to simplify PPR terms for local companies and said VAT online project will be implemented by local companies. BASIS requested finance minister to revise PPR Template of Government in favor of local companies.
BASIS urged the minister to initiate budget allocation of Tk 500 crore for technical assistance project abroad. It’s time that Bangladesh can offer technical assistance for under developed countries on the term to provide the service if they implement their projects form Bangladeshi ICT companies. It will be investment from government end and highlight Bangladeshi ICT companies’ capability at home and abroad.
Though local ICT companies are entitled for tax exemption till 2024, the companies need to get exemption certificate from NBR every year, BASIS president mentioned. To mitigate difficulties, BASIS can issue the tax exemption certificates to the firms, he suggested.
Also, BASIS highlighted that, as there is gap of skilled manpower in the country, if companies send their IT professionals for higher training, tax rebate must be given on the provided scholarship for the professionals from the companies. The minister has assured to look into BASIS budget proposals positively.
