Higher cost of phone usage

Following the proposed budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, mobile phone users will have to pay higher bills as supplementary duty is set to increase to 15 percent from the existing 10 percent. As a result, users will be charged extra for SMS, voice calls and internet usage. During this pandemic, we have been heavily dependent on mobile usage. People from all walks of life are performing their day to day activities using e-commerce, online banking, online classes, online office, etc. If this proposal is passed, the higher costs will harm everyone, from farmers to students and businessmen, and impede the flow of development and the digitalisation of Bangladesh. I humbly urge the respective authorities to rethink the incremental supplementary duty on mobile phone usage.