Finance Minister AMA Muhith has proposed 1% Environment Protection Surcharge on ad-valorem basis on all kinds of products manufactured in Bangladesh by the industries which pollute the environment.
The minister proposed to impose the environment protection surcharge or green tax “to save the country’s environment and biodiversity from the industrial pollution.”
In his budget speech, he said: “There is no alternative to the development of domestic industries for the economic growth of our country. But it cannot be ignored that this development is also having some adverse effects on the environment by way of polluting the soil, air and water resources.”
In order to encourage the owners of the industries, which causes excessive pollution to the environment, to set up effluent treatment plants (ETP) and to make an endeavor to make them aware of the harmful effect of the environment, the surcharge is going to be imposed, he added.
According to his statement, 834 industrial units have already installed Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) in their factories.
A fund comprised of Tk200 crore have already been created in Bangladesh Bank to provide concessional credit for establishing ETPs in factories for mitigating environmental pollution, he also said in his speech.
