<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Metro rail passengers will have to bear additional cost as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to impose 15 percent VAT on its tickets from July 1.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is currently a VAT waiver on Metrorail tickets, which will expire on June 30. DMTCL requested NBR to extend the period but the revenue board expressed unwillingness to extend the exemption period.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The second secretary of NBR's VAT Division Barrister Md. Badruzzaman Munshi sent a letter to the managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) in this regard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the letter, VAT exemption on metro rail tickets will expire on June 30.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the letter, the revenue board said that various development activities are going on in the country with the goal of attaining the status of developed country by 2041.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government has to constantly provide money to carry out those development activities, which is mainly collected through direct and indirect taxes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tax exemptions are given to various sectors on different occasion with the aim of promoting domestic industries, reduce import dependence and developing small and cottage industries, etc, said the letter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is why tax exemption benefits are being gradually withdrawn from various sectors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, freedom fighters and children&nbsp; of three feet height can travel free of charge, and people with special needs can travel on metro rail at a 10 to 15 percent discount. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/fas</div>