Description: Bangladesh : Improving Competitiveness through Trade Policy Reforms

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Bangladesh : Improving Competitiveness through Trade Policy Reforms

In an increasingly competitive, globalizing world, Bangladesh needs to rationalize its tariff structure and lower overall protection so that its exports can compete in world markets. At the same time, the government needs to protect revenues in a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	World Bank
Language:	English
Published:	Washington, DC 2012
Subjects:	CD CDS COMPETITIVENESS CONSUMER GOODS CONSUMERS CUSTOMS CUSTOMS DUTIES CUSTOMS DUTY CUSTOMS REVENUE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES DOMESTIC TAXES ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY ELASTICITY EXCHANGE RATE EXCHANGE RATE SYSTEM EXPENDITURES EXPORT BASKETS EXPORT BIAS EXPORT GROWTH EXPORTS FINAL GOODS GDP GLOBAL COMPETITION GLOBAL MARKET IMPORT DUTIES IMPORT DUTY IMPORT REGIME IMPORT SUBSTITUTION IMPORTS INCOME TAX INDIRECT TAXES INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL MARKETS LEVIES PROTECTION CAN PROTECTIONIST PROTECTIVE TARIFFS QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS RATES OF PROTECTION TARIFF CHANGES TARIFF PROTECTION TARIFF REDUCTION TARIFF STRUCTURE TAX TAX BASE TAX EXEMPTIONS TAX EXPENDITURES TAX RATES TRADE LIBERALIZATION TRADE POLICY TRADE POLICY REFORM TRADE POLICY REFORMS TRADE PROTECTION TRADE REGIME WORLD MARKETS
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/05/16267505/bangladesh-improving-competitiveness-through-trade-policy-reforms http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8095

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Summary:	In an increasingly competitive, globalizing world, Bangladesh needs to rationalize its tariff structure and lower overall protection so that its exports can compete in world markets. At the same time, the government needs to protect revenues in a fiscally-constrained year. This note proposes a package of tariff reforms that simplifies the rate structure, lowers average nominal protection, improves economic efficiency and is virtually revenue neutral. Adverse revenue impact, if there are any, could be addressed by strengthening the large taxpayers units, reducing the numerous exemptions in value-added tax (VAT), and expanding the tax base.