Staff Correspondent
Published:16 Feb 2021, 04:26 PM
Capital ceiling for one-person firm to come down to 5 lakh
The
government will lower the minimum paid-up capital ceiling for one-person
companies to 5 lakh from the present 25 lakh as per the Companies Act (2nd
Amendment) Bill, 2020 to allow more small businesses to get registration for enabling
their formalization.
Besides,
it will take the initiative to issue trade licenses for e-commerce businesses
so that they can avail access to finance as well as other opportunities as the
e-commerce entities are automatically recognized as enterprises.
Commerce
Minister Tipu Minshi said this at a meeting with the representatives of
Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) at his office at the
secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.
BUILD
Chairperson Abul Kasem Khan led the BUILD delegation.
The
minister added that the high-potential e-commerce sector is not getting
promoted as expected since they need trade license for availing of the
facilities. The ministry is already working with the local government ministry
in regard to issuing trade licenses.
Stressing on the importance of
enabling business environment in Bangladesh, he stated that the Commerce
Ministry is always open to extend all forms of logistical support to make the
private sector vibrant. He appreciated the role of private sector in creating a
platform like BUILD for evidence-based public-private dialogue between
government and trade and industry to create a business-friendly environment
through policy reforms.
BUILD Chairperson Abul Kasem Khan
said that Bangladesh's export is heavily concentrated on one sector. Other
sectors like leather and leather goods, plastic and light engineering need greater
policy attention for diversifying export basket. All the non-RMG sectors
immediately need bonded warehouse facilities besides other policy benefits, he
added.
Earlier
Asif Ibrahim, Chairman of Chittagong Stock Exchange and former Chairman of
BUILD informed about the situation of
RMG sector and thanked the government for extending the provision for allowing
utilization declaration (UD) through the BGMEA, which has helped businesses
carry out export-oriented manufacture efficiently without bureaucratic hassles.
In regard to raising coverage of small business as OPCs, he suggested allowing
tax benefits and tax exemption for at least three years to encourage them to be
registered in the Companies Act.
BUILD
CEO Ferdaus Ara Begum informed that Bangladesh and Vietnam started export
diversification journey almost at the same time in 1990. However, Vietnam has
made tremendous progress so that if their RMG sector is adversely affected,
only 14 percent of its export would be impacted. Export of Vietnam stood at USD
263.45 billion in 2019, out of which RMG export was USD 39 billion. A different
picture has emerged in Bangladesh where RMG singularly contributes about 85
percent of export. She also informed that BUILD will seek supports from the
ministry for policy advocacy for Medical and Personal Protective Equipment
(MPPE) products and identify gaps in the list of standards developed by BSTI in
terms of export potential.
Joint
secretary for commerce Md Abdus Samad Al Azad informed that the ministry is
working to prepare protocol for honey and tishi oil so that health certificates
of these products are delivered. In this respect he requested BUILD to send a
list of potential products for which standards and certification are important.
Hafizur
Rahman, additional commerce secretary and Project Coordinator EC4J raised the
issue of the need for halal certificate. In that respect health compliance
rules need to be prepared.
Hafizur Rahman, additional commerce secretary and
DG WTO cell of the ministry at the request of the minister shared updates on
the issue of the trade license for e-commerce and informed that they are
coordinating with the LGRD to address the issue through an expeditious process.