The metro rail fare is likely to rise as nothing has been discussed about the imposition of VAT on metro rail tickets in the Finance Bill-2024-25 passed in the parliament on Saturday (29 June).
Contacted on Saturday night, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique told Bangladesh First that they have not taken any decision about increasing the price of metro rail tickets.
“We have heard that the Finance Bill has been passed, but we have not seen it, we will see and decide on it later,” said MAN Siddique.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued an office order in April, expressing their inability to waive VAT on the country’s first metro rail.
NBR officials said a 15-percent value-added tax (VAT) on metro rail tickets will be imposed from 1 July.
Later, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited requested the NBR to continue the privilege in the next fiscal but NBR turned down the request.
Consequently, the metro rail fare is likely to increase in proportion to the imposition of VAT.