SME owners demand policy reforms to ease business

Highlights:

• SME owners seek five-year trade licence validity
• Entrepreneurs cite rising costs, liquidity constraints
• DCCI flags tax, energy, administrative hurdles
• Authorities pledge better services, stronger law enforcement

Small and medium enterprise owners in Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur have demanded key policy reforms, including extending trade license validity to five years, lowering real estate taxes, and easing import logistics - to mitigate the rising cost of doing business.

Local entrepreneurs raised concerns over domestic trade challenges and liquidity constraints at an exchange of views "Improving the Overall Local Business, Trade and Investment Environment" organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry yesterday. 

Dhaka Chamber President Taskeen Ahmed highlighted that administrative hurdles, ambiguous tax rules, energy shortages, and mandatory early shopping mall closures by 7pm are severely curbing sales turnover.

Praising Finance Act 2026 initiatives, he warned that high government bank borrowing risks crowding out private sector credit.

Jonayed Kabir Sohag, chief revenue officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, pledged zero tolerance against municipal service harassment.

Regarding security, Md Tareq Zubair, deputy commissioner (crime) at Dhaka Metropolitan Police, highlighted active drives against extortionists and ongoing AI-based traffic management expansion under a "Smart Policing, Smart City" initiative.

Tax officials noted supportive measures, including quarterly VAT returns to preserve working capital and extended tax exemptions for renewable power through 2035. 

Participating entrepreneurs also urged policy support for digital marketing, tax cuts on real estate signing money, expedited container clearance at the Dhaka Inland Container Depot, and easier LC access for new ventures. 

The event concluded with the chamber awarding membership certificates to 39 newly enrolled business establishments.