Cost of ‘prophecy, marriage and entertainment to rise’

The cost of prophecy, marriage and entertainment may rise in the next fiscal year as finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed to bring astrologists, entertainment programmes and marriage media services under VAT (value added tax) net in his national budget speech for the 2019-20 fiscal in parliament on Thursday.

The finance minister said, “I am also proposing to impose VAT on astrologists, marriage media services and on supply of entertainment programmes, serials, drama, telefilms, etc. to be broadcasted in the television channels and online media like YouTube and Facebook.”