NBR takes tough line on tax dodgers
The National Board of Revenue has collected Tk 1,000 crore in taxes by observing an 'enforcement month' from December 21 to January 20 to catch tax evaders and boost domestic resource collection.
“Our drives have frightened the dishonest people. They are rectifying themselves. In the meantime, many have come to us and admitted their faults,” NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman said at a media briefing in Dhaka yesterday.
Making people aware of the law was the biggest achievement of the enforcement month. The NBR's departments -- income tax, customs and VAT -- have made significant progress, he said.
The briefing was organised to unveil programmes taken by the authority to observe World Customs Day today. The NBR will hold a rally and award five agencies and 15 customs officials.
Rahman discussed various issues like overall revenue collection, automation of revenue administration and abuse of importing durables at zero duty by foreigners working at international organisations.
On revenue collection, Rahman said the NBR is registering average growth of about 20 percent from the beginning of the year. “We see a positive trend in revenue collection,” he said, without sharing the total revenue collection amount in the first half of fiscal 2016-17.
The NBR chief said the revenue authority gives the highest importance to IT and takes customs as an integral part of a digital NBR to collect revenue and provide services. He expects the total number of electronically generated taxpayer identification numbers to reach 30 lakh on June 30, the last day of fiscal 2016-17.
Currently, the customs department facilitates trade through ASYCUDA World, the latest automated software system for customs data, at major customs stations. The NBR is also in the process of finalising a new customs law and taking steps to set up a National Single Window to provide faster services to exporters and importers at reduced costs.
The customs department has also installed scanners at ports to prevent the import of goods through false declaration; it has also taken on a bond management automation project to curb the abuse of goods imported at zero duty under the bond privilege, said the NBR.
The NBR also plans to start online VAT registration for businesses in March so that it can complete re-registration by existing VAT-registered firms ahead of the new VAT law being implemented from July.
Rahman said the government doubled manpower at revenue administration in 2013. To do its task properly, the revenue collector also requires a security force, and better equipped legal and media wings. The revenue authority has also strengthened its research and statistics section.
In response to a query on the steps taken to curb the abuse of duty-free import privilege of goods, including vehicles, he said duties are waived for import by diplomats as per different international convention. There are clear rules that the host country can take measures against the persons who abuse the benefit for his personal gain.
“We want respected, dignified people to ensure their own dignity,” he said. “We do not have plenty of time to work unnecessarily.”
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