B Mirror Report: The Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) has urged the government to allow buyers of flats to invest funds without being asked about the source of the money. The association made this demand during a pre-budget meeting with the National Board of Revenue (NBR), also calling for the reinstatement of an older provision of the Income Tax Ordinance to support this measure.

REHAB leaders argued that many expatriates fail to declare remittances, and as a result, these funds are treated as undisclosed income, discouraging investment in the country. The association said removing restrictions would encourage more investment in the housing sector and help develop a secondary market for flats.

However, NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan rejected the proposal, stating that it is now easy to remit money legally through banks or mobile financial services, and that expatriates must pay taxes at the prescribed rates to regularize undeclared funds.

REHAB also proposed rationalizing land registration taxes, reducing VAT on concrete blocks, and offering tax holidays to promote urban development and housing investment across the country.