Why I support 10% import Tax on computers in Bangladesh budget 2007-08

Let us read what Mr. Sayeed Rahman from [BANGLA-IT] yahoo group is saying in support of the above:

Zero duty on Computer Should Go in Bangladesh budget 2007-08
As I said before in Jun 30, 2002 again repeating the same questions to our Media and Bangladeshi Hardware vendors:

Refer: Jun 30, 2002 Postings in BANGLA IT

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bangla_ict/message/95

Since 2002 PC Price went down and Bangladesh Per Capita Income went up (presently $530/yr), present Bangladesh Government should not listen to these Hardware Vendors, for excuse that ICT will not grow, if you impose Tax 10% on computers, that's BS talk.

As 10 per cent duty proposed in present budget following the smuggling of computers to a neighbouring country(INDIA) where a 15 per cent import duty is effective.

We Bangladesh should not import Computer Hardware with our valuable foreign currency and smuggle to a neighbouring country(INDIA) where a 15 per cent import duty is effective.

• How India is exporting software with PC prices 15% higher than Bangladesh and projecting $60 billion in IT exports by 2010?

I strongly support Bangladesh Government decision in new budget to impose 10% duty on computers that will prevent smuggling and also impose duty on SIM card for cellular phone.

Recommendations :

1. Add 10% tax on Computer, Telecom equipment, ISP, Mobile (This will prevent smuggling)
2. Make mandatory to use Open Source Software as operating systems for PC's in Govt offices and schools. (that way price of PC will go down)
3. Make Mandatory Choice for OSS product before Govt buys any software or at least evaluate the OSS product.
4. Impose tax on SIM card and don't listen to Cell phone vendors, ask all cell phone operators to reduce there call rate in half and see the difference in growth rate.(they already made enough money by sucking blood of Bangladeshi poor people)
5. Please implement the Hi Tech Park near Dhaka ASAP

Comments are always welcome but think of Bangladesh not on behalf of Bangladesh Computer Hardware vendors or Cell operators. Think what good for Bangladesh!

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From BANGLAIT postings June 30, 2002:

As Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman withdrawn the duty on PC but asked the the ICT Minister "I listened to your plea, now it's your turn to show me software export of Tk 100 billion (10,000 crore) as you said." Moyeen Khan looked up to the Finance Minister and gave a smile." Same questions we are asking to the ICT Minister, BCS and BASIS "show us software export of Tk 100 billion (10,000 crore) as you said."

Saifur Rahman said the 7.5 per cent duty was proposed following the smuggling of computers to a neighbouring country(INDIA) where a 15 per cent import duty is effective.

"I listened to your plea, now it's your turn to show me software
export of Tk 100 billion (10,000 crore) as you said." Moyeen Khan
looked up to the Finance Minister and gave a smile. Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia, who earlier requested for withdrawal of the duty on
computer, also looked at Moyeen Khan on the second bench and smiled.

Now we have some questions to ICT Minister and BASIS:

1. Surprisingly, the government has a vision to earn US$4 billion from the country's ICT sector by the year 2006, and BASIS has a vison Domestic IT Industry will have an Export Target of US $ 2 (Two) Billions by June 2005.Source: http://www.sdnbd.org/sdi/issues/IT-computer/Information%20Technology%20Policy.htm How we are going to reach that target?
2. How India is exporting software $7.5 billion last year with PC prices 15% higher than Bangladesh and projecting $57 billion in IT exports by 2008?
3. Why Bangladesh software export is only $25 million (Source:BASIS) last year but the figure is not verified by Bangladesh Government with 15% lesser price on PC compare to India.
   
4. Is that 0% duty on PC will help us to reach the software export $2 billion by 2005 as projected by BASIS? and $4 billion as projected by government?

We need answer from BASIS, BCS and ICT Minister How we are going to reach that target? Please don't give us false promises, we have witnessed the false promises last couple of years.

We need to focus other things as priority for our ICT development:

1. Government should develop first ICT infrastructure
2. The proposed High Tech park near Dhaka need to be implemented ASAP.
3. We need to develop a software export base in Bangladesh. One is IT Consulting/subcontracting like India. But to get into this industry you need a big very highly skilled workforce who are specialized in the latest technological advancements such as SOAP, Microsoft's .Net technologies, J2EE etc. Most Bangladeshi companies can't match that. The IT courses being offered in Bangladesh are obsolete. Develop world class IT industry and work force in Bangladesh.
4. At the same time the universities in Bangladesh need to focus on software research and development. Instead of ACM competitions which only focus on analytical skills, we should introduce inter-university competitions for developing innovative products suitable for Bangladesh.
5. Gain access to the Silicon Valley/USA High Tech market to export software, provide services (software/hardware) and human resources.
6. Provide opportunities to the high tech companies in USA to establish development center in Bangladesh.
   
7. Establish entrepreneur, business and marketing network for Bangladeshi IT industries.

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