Dhaka, March 5 -- National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Tuesday said the government wants to implement a single, universal value-added tax (VAT) rate in the country if the business community reaches a consensus.

"If necessary, we will lower the rate. But it should be a single rate, provided the business people come to a consensus," he said at a pre-budget meeting with the leaders of Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) at the NBR office in the capital.

Elaborating further, he said there might be two VAT rates at best.

"If the service sector thinks the rate is harsh for them, we can lower it for them. But we have to bring disciplin...