Microbus to be cheaper

The government has proposed reduction of supplementary duties on microbuses of different engine capacities from the next fiscal year.

The duty will be reduced for hybrid and non-hybrid microbuses, according to the Finance Bill 2021 placed before the parliament by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Thursday.

The supplementary duty for non-hybrid microbus — up to 1,800 cc — has been proposed 20 percent from existing 45 percent and it will be ‘nil’ for the hybrid one.

The duty for hybrid microbus having 1,801cc to 2,000cc engine capacity has been reduced by 30 percent from present 45 percent and it has been slashed to 45 percent from 60 percent for other microbuses.

An official of the National Board of Revenue said the government has reduced the supplementary duty on microbus as part of its move to discourage movement of shallow engine-run human haulers — ‘Korimon’ and ‘Nosimon’ — that often are blamed for accidents on the highways.