The government’s latest decision to withdraw advance income tax (AIT) on import of all types of human vaccines is a time befitting one.
The move by the government for waiving tax for such a grave issue is, therefore, a right decision and all the plaudits are due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard.
And this announcement by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the central authority for tax administration, will promote and accelerate the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination campaign as the private sector will be encouraged to join hands with the government and work together as well.
We expect that the private sector will come forward to have a larger participation in the country’s ongoing corona virus vaccination drive as it is now allowed to import all types of vaccines like Covid-19 one without paying five per cent AIT.
We believe the private sector will extend all- out support
and stand beside the government and the country’s people
in order to harness its capability to scale up Covid-19 vaccination drive
Earlier on February 7, the government launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive with the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine aiming to inoculate 3.5 million people in the first month.
A report titled “Govt to allow vaccine import by pvt cos” published in Bangladesh Post says withdrawal of 5 percent AIT will help keep the price of the vaccines, especially the anti-Covid-19 jabs, affordable and ultimately facilitate the overall immunization process.
We think the governments and WHO alone will not be able to defeat the assault of the corona virus. The private sector must also play a vital role in curbing the pandemic.
And we believe the private sector will extend all- out support and stand beside the government and the country’s people in order to harness its capability to scale up Covid-19 vaccination drive.
We know the private sector companies are entirely profit-driven, but in this regard, they should not make any unusual profit on the drugs and vaccines they introduce to fight Covid-19.
Yet, there is opportunity too for the private sector to stand beside the government and the people during this crisis.
People aged 40 years and above across the country have been getting registered to receive Covid-19 vaccines since the campaign launched on January 27.
The government will inoculate 80 percent of the country’s population, or around 138.24 million people.And each person will be given two doses of the vaccine.
We hope, as many people do not have smartphones and may not be able to get registered, the private sector will support the government, people’s representatives like chairmen, mayors and MPs to bring the people to the centres and get them registered and vaccinated.
