Parliament: Finance Minister AMA Muhith proposed to impose 2.5 percent surcharge on the income from the business of producing cigarette, bidi, zarda, gul and other tobacco items.

"Cigarettes, bidi and other tobacco products are injurious to health. The government and the society need to incur additional medicare cost due to the consumption of these tobacco products," he said in his budget speech in Parliament.

He also proposed to continue net wealth surcharge for individual taxpayers at its current level until an effective wealth tax act is enacted in the country.

He said that there is a correlation between the economic development and inequality. "Bangladesh economy has been growing at an average rate of more than six percent."

"In this case, net wealth surcharge is playing an effective role in combating the risk of increasing inequalities resulting from this continuous economic growth."

He also proposed to maintain minimum surcharge of Tk 3000 if the net wealth exceeds Taka 2.25 crore.