NBR for proper use of taxpayers' money
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has started tracking use of taxpayers' money so that people get more and better services, said its chief yesterday.
“We are communicating with ministries and agencies in this regard. We want to make people aware that tax receipt increases when services for taxpayers rise,” said NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman at a meeting with editors of the print and electronic media yesterday.
The NBR organised the event at Officers' Club Dhaka to exchange views following the countrywide income tax fair from November 1 to 7. The tax collector gave Income Tax ID cards to taxpayers for submission of tax returns for the fiscal year 2016-17 at the fair. It also honoured top taxpayers and 84 families with a “Kar Bahadur” or “Tax Icon” title.
Prime Minister's Media Affairs Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said the income tax fair has become an annual festival.
He said ensuring the same hassle-free and taxpayer friendly environment of tax fairs at field offices would encourage people. Introduction of Tax Card for top taxpayers is also inspiring, he said.
“Once owning a mobile phone was a prestigious matter. Now getting Tax Card has become an issue of prestige,” he said.
AHM Moazzem Hossain, editor of The Financial Express, said the number of actual taxpayers was much higher than that in the NBR's data.
“There are some who are deemed taxpayers,” he said mentioning bank depositors and saving instrument investors who are paying tax at source.
“Investors of the savings certificates are paying tax, but they are not in the tax net.”
He suggested gearing up efforts to plug transfer mispricing to thwart capital flight through under- and over-invoicing.
Shykh Seraj, director and head of news of Channel i, suggested holding the tax fair in a wider space in Dhaka.
Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, editor of the daily Manab Zamin, said despite tax fairs being regularly held, people were still wary of tax and taxmen. Paying tax will turn into a social movement once such fear goes away, he said.
The NBR said it would hold a Tax Week starting on November 24 in all field offices to enable taxpayers to submit returns within the November 30 deadline this year.
Among others, Tasmima Hossain, acting editor of the daily Ittefaq, and Dewan Hanif Mahmud, editor of Bangla business daily Bonik Barta, also spoke.
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