DHAKA, Dec 11, 2025 (BSS) - The government has exempted the value-added tax (VAT) on metro rail tickets and reduced the tax on dates import ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. 

The decision was taken at the weekly meeting of the Council of Advisers today at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) here with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair. 

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam revealed the information at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon. 

He said due to exemption of the VAT on metro rail fare, the government will have to lose about Taka 40 crore per year. But the government took the decision considering that the metro rail is playing an epoch making role in the transportation of the city dwellers, the press secretary added.

He further said that the government also reduced the tax incidence on dates to 40 percent from the existing 52 percent to facilitate the consumers in the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

Shafiqul Alam said that there was a customs duty of 25 percent on date import, which has been reduced to 15 percent.