DHAKA, 05 June 2021, (TON): The finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal faced questions about the issue at a virtual post-budget news conference for the fiscal 2021-22 after he unveiled the outlay a day earlier without the option.

Kamal said that the government would review the option after gathering the data.

When the government presented a number of ways in the budget for 2020-21 fiscal to legalise undisclosed income by paying certain amounts of tax amidst the COVID-19 crisis, many feared they would encourage corruption and frustrate taxpayers.

Analysts and activists have welcomed Kamal’s decision to drop the provision in the new budget for the financial year starting on Jul 1. But they expressed concerns over possibilities that the government may reintroduce the option in a separate order later.

Hinting that the government Kamal said “many also support the option because it can be profitable if the undisclosed income is taxed and invested.”

The minister had said last month that the option would continue until all the undisclosed incomes are added to the financial system.

He further said “We didn’t have enough data when I had said it (the option would continue) two weeks ago. We need to see how profitable the option would be if we want to have a discussion about whether to continue it.”