Budget 2024-25: Where the prices may go up?

If Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali gets his budget proposals through the following items will be costlier during the financial year starting July 1.

Cigarettes: A supplementary duty of 65.5 percent has been proposed on three tier cigarettes. As a result, the price of all types of cigarettes will increase.

Mobile phone: SIM card will be pricier as a raise fromTk200 to Tk300 has been proposed. Mobile calls will too be costlier. Currently, a consumer can talk about Tk73 if he recharges his mobile by Tk100. The mobile operators deduct the remaining Tk27 as VAT and supplementary duties. If the 5 percent supplementary duty on mobile services is increased in the proposed budget, the consumer will be able to talk about Tk69.35.

Ice cream: Supplementary duty on ice cream may increase from 5 to 10 percent. As a result, the price of ice cream will increase.

Electric meter: It has been proposed to increase the import duty on pre-paid meters and other electric meters from 15 percent to 25 percent. Import duty on pre-paid meter parts and other electric meter parts is recommended to be increased from 10 percent to 15 percent.

Water filter: The duty is being increased on the import of household water filters. Due to production in the country, the duty on import of water filters is being increased from 10 percent to 15 percent.

Duty free cars: Currently MPs can import cars with duty-free facilities. Imposition of 25 percent supplementary duty and 15 percent VAT has been proposed on import of cars by MPs.

Soft drinks energy drinks: VAT on soft drinks, carbonated beverages, energy drinks may be increased from 5 percent to 10 percent. Besides this, the minimum tax on carbonated beverages may be increased by another 2 percent to 5 percent. As a result, these products have to be bought at a higher price.

Cashew nuts: As part of safeguarding cashew nut cultivation in the country, the duty on import of shelled cashew nuts is being increased from 5 percent to 10 percent. This may increase the price of cashew nuts.

AC: Considering AC as a luxury, VAT on compressors and all types of materials used in AC production in the country is being increased from 5 to 7.5 percent. So, the price of AC may increase. The cost of producing refrigerators will increase as VAT on AC sales increased 5 percent to 7.5 percent.

LED bulb- The price of LED bulbs likely to increase as the duty is being increased by 10 percent on the import of materials for the production of LED bulbs and energy saving bulbs.

Conversion cost to CNG-LPG: The duty on import of kits, cylinders and other machinery and parts used for vehicle CNG-LPG conversion is being increased from 3 percent to 5 percent. Due to this the car conversion may become costlier.