The Editors Council on Tuesday raised concerns regarding media freedom in Bangladesh, stating that the freedom of the press remains under threat.
Despite recent supportive statements from various sectors of the interim government, media freedom continues to face challenges, the council said in a joint statement signed by its President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud.
The Editors Council called on the government to address “mob justice” in all institutions, including the media, and urged all parties to respect the principles of press freedom.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has withdrawn the excise duty on inbound and outbound airfare for hajj pilgrims, as well as the value-added tax (VAT) on three types of service charges for reducing overall hajj expenses.
"Costs for hajj pilgrims were increasing due to rising airfares and other factors. To make hajj expenses more affordable, excise duty and VAT in three categories have been exempted," said a NBR press release on Monday night.
However, the interim government recently announced the hajj package which is significantly lower than the previous year cost.
Prothom Alo, a leading Bengali daily, published a front page news story on November 2 claiming that murders, muggings and banditry sharply increased in Dhaka in September and October was untrue and dangerously flawed, the Chief Adviser press wing said in a statement today.
The statement was posted on the verified Facebook page of CA press wing - CA Press Wing Facts.
Prothom Alo claimed that 192 people were killed in Dhaka in the last two months, while at least 21 of them were killed in Dhaka Mohammadpur.
"This news is untrue. It is also dangerously flawed and poorly fact-checked. It gives the impression that lawlessness has increased sharply in Dhaka immediately after the glorious mass student-led uprising in July and August," the statement read.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) today reduced the tax rate to 15 percent on capital gains above Taka 50 lakh from selling shares of listed companies on the stock exchanges for encouraging investment in capital market.
Previously, taxpayers had to pay 30 percent tax on the capital gains over Taka 50 lakh if the gains are realised in five years at any time of a year. In case of sales of shares after years of purchase, the rate of tax on capital gains would be 15 percent.
This information was disclosed in a press release published by the NBR today.