Several non-governmental organisations here on Wednesday demanded that Bangladesh delegation to the UN Addis Ababa Conference on Finance for Development should propose a UN political body on global tax matter that will support elimination of all sorts of loophole for an equal taxing and stop illicit finance flow.
They also demanded inclusion of political leadership in the Bangladesh delegation to the conference.
The demands came at a seminar jointly organised by 30 organisations at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
The organisatons include Online Knowledge Society, BILS, EquityBD, Udayan Bangladesh, Unnyayan Dhara, ADB International, CLEAN, Jatiyo Sramik Jote, Trade Union Centre, Readymade Garment Workers’ Federation, Banchte Shekha Nari, Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Bangladesh Bhumihin Somity, Bangladesh Sramik Federation, Development Synergy Institute, Trade Union Centre, Awaz, Jono Oddyan Kendro, Bangladesh Sromik Federation, Bhasoman Nari Sramik Union, Jago Bangladesh Garments Sramik Federation and Mehenoti Garments Sromik Federation.
Moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan was present at the programme as the chief guest.
Sayed Aminul Haque of EquityBD presented the keynote paper at the programey.
In his keynote presentation, Aminul Haque said most of the developed countries did not fulfill their commitment of providing 0.7 percent of their GNI for the poor countries to achieve MDGs.
In SDGs, there is a proposal of mobilising domestic resources. But domestic resource mobilisation can’t be effective if there are no appropriate measures to control tax dodging and illicit capital flight, he said.
The Bangladesh delegates should demand a UN political body on tax and bank transparency to bring an end to this, Aminul Haque opined.
In his addressed, the state minister said many rich countries are promoting capital flight to their countries by providing citizenship in exchange of investment, which should be stopped.
He also said the country is getting less in respect of climate finance commitment of the developed countries.
-UNB