Online Desk: National Board of Revenue (NBR) will start its pre-budget discussions for the fiscal year 2024-25 from February 4.

The NBR has finalised the schedule of the month-long pre-budget discussions with different trade bodies to make the next budget more participatory, rational, balanced and people-oriented.

On Wednesday, the NBR’s public relations office unveiled the plan, and the agency’s 1st secretary (VAT) SM Sohail Rahman sent a letter to the trade bodies in this regard.

The revenue board will arrange the pre-budget discussions with sector-wise representative organisations related to customs, VAT, and taxation. Pre-budget discussions will be held at different times in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur and Sylhet.

The talks will begin with discussions with print and electronic media owners’ associations on the first day. Discussions will be concluded by mid-March through the consultative committee meeting of the NBR and the FBCCI. On the last day, the finance minister will attend the discussion.

According to the schedule, the NBR will hold discussions with journalists on February 5 and with various financial institutions and stock exchanges on February 6.

The discussion with the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and FICCI will be held on February 7, while the discussion with BEZA, BEPZA, BIDA, BILD and Bangladesh-India Chamber, Women Chamber, Pustak Prakashana Samiti, and the BCCI on February 8.

On February 10, there will be pre-budget discussions with businessmen and professional associations of Barishal, and on February 11 with organisations related to construction, medicine, rubber, and plastic industries and VAT Professional Forum, the ICAB, the ICMAB.

The NBR will hold pre-budget discussions with car importers, ceramic manufacturers and leather processing bodies, the C&F, shipping, freight forwarders, and tax lawyers association on February 13 and with agriculture, chemical and service-related organisations and the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on February 14.

The discussions will be held on February 15 and 17 with various professional organisations of Chattogram, on February 18 with economists and economy-related professional organisations, on February 22 with various export sector organisations and E-CAB, and on February 24 with various professional organisations in Rangpur.

On February 27, all organisations related to the transport sector and electronics sector, on February 28 other chambers and various organizations of Dhaka Division, on March 2 various organisations of Sylhet, on March 5, BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMEA, and large taxpayer units, Bidi Malik Samiti, AMTOB and beverage manufacturers along with 7 other organisations.

There will be similar discussions with various organisations of the Rajshahi Division on March 7.