Broadband internet to get costlier

Broadband internet is going to get costlier as Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has proposed a 10% supplementary duty on the import of optical fiber cable in the new budget for FY 22-23.

In his budget speech, the finance minister said, "Optical fiber cable factories have been set up in the country. Currently, there is a 15% import duty on the import of the product.

"I am proposing to impose 10% supplementary duty on the import of optical fiber cable for the protection of the domestic industry," he said.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has placed the Tk6,78,064 crore national budget for FY23 at Jatiya Sangsad according top priority to safeguarding marginal people from inflation fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This is the fourth budget of the third consecutive term of the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also the overall 51st budget of the country.

The proposed budget is Tk74,383 crore higher than the original budget size of the FY2021-22 fiscal year, which was Tk6,03,681 crore.