GDP to stand at 7.2pc in FY17: Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith today expressed firm determination that country`s GDP growth rate will stand at 7.2 percent at the end of the current fiscal year 2016-17 (FY17).

"The development partners always agree with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data. So, there is no debate about the GDP growth," he told journalists after inaugurating the foreign aid management software at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) in the city.

Responding to a question, the finance minister said the Jatiya Sangsad will discuss Value Added Tax (VAT) rate and on the basis of this discussion VAT will be determined. "The Jatiya Sangsad will take a decision on this issue," he added.

Muhith also said the excise duty on bank accounts is not a new thing as there was such duty before.

"In the proposed budget, we`ve have only increased the rate of this duty on the deposits of above Taka one lakh in the bank account," he added.

Source: BSS