Finance Minister AMA Muhith proposed 5% supplementary duty to be imposed on the services provided through SIM and RUIM card of mobile phone, which will, in effect, raise the costs of voice call and data transfer.

Muhith made the proposals in the budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 in order to impose VAT, make changes to VAT rates and to increase the VAT net.

However, with a view to ensuring the continued development of this mobile sector, making the IT service easily attainable through mobile phone and thus ensuring sustainable/equitable growth for this sector, Muhith proposed to levy Tk 100 as SIM tax for both the instances of issuance and replacement of mobile SIM card.

Presently, for mobile operators, the SIM tax in case of issuance and replacement of SIM card stands at Tk 300 and Tk 100 respectively.