"Instead of keeping the provision in the budget, alternative measures might be offered to whiten black money," Mirza Aziz said at a consultative meeting of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in the capital.

Official sources meanwhile said the facility will be given through a special ordinance or a statutory regulatory order while the government is also considering offering a higher tax rate between 25 and 35 percent for this.

The NBR and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) jointly organised the meeting where leaders of the country's chambers and associations presented recommendations for the upcoming national budget.

At the meeting the finance adviser put emphasis on expanding domestic revenue in order to minimise dependency on foreign aid.

"The harsh reality is that we are losing our major revenue sources because of adopting market-based open economic strategy. Therefore, we have to extend our domestic revenue sources," he said.

According to the United Nations policy, developed countries have to pay 0.7 percent of their Gross National Product (GNP) as aid to the under-developed nations, but the amount of aid has been reduced day by day, Aziz said.

"On the other hand, by adopting global trading system we are losing our most traditional revenue sources. So, we have no alternative to expanding our domestic revenue income," he said, adding that this requires imposing taxes on the non-tax sectors.

Aziz warned, "If we fail to expand our tax net, budget deficit will be widening, which could result in inflation."

The budget for the next fiscal year will be formulated keeping all these things in mind, he said, adding that budget is not the only tool in the economy to meet demands--industry policy, monetary policy, export and import policy are the other major tools to help economic activities.

On various demands of the country's businessmen, the finance adviser said, "We will consider your proposals, but at the same time you should say what you will give the nation in return."

In his welcome note, NBR Chairman Badiur Rahman said the remaining tax discrimination in different sectors will be reduced in the next budget.

Both The finance adviser and the NBR chairman put emphasis on the behaviour of the tax officials.

Aziz urged the tax officials to minimise their discretionary power while Badiur urged them to be well behaved with the taxpayers.

FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain also spoke at the meeting.