Online tax filing goes live in two zones
The National Board of Revenue yesterday rolled out online tax filing for two tax zones as a pilot project ahead of the system's full-fledged introduction on November 1.
“This is a big stride in our efforts to take Bangladesh forward,” said MA Mannan, state minister for finance and planning, at the inauguration of the pilot programme for Tax Zone 4.
The NBR also launched the programme in Tangail yesterday.
Once the full system goes live on November 1, taxpayers will no longer need to visit tax offices; they would be able to submit their returns from the comforts of their homes, said NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman.
Taxpayers will be able to prepare their annual income and expenditure statements and submit them online at www.etaxnbr.gov.bd. They will get confirmation of their tax returns electronically, which can be printed for record-keeping.
They will get tax payment certificates electronically, said NBR Member Kalipada Halder, the project director for the e-tax filing system.
They will also be able to view their profile as taxpayers and their filing history.
To assist taxpayers in returns filing, there will be support and service centre, according to Halder.
The automation will also enable taxmen to easily monitor the trend of tax return submission and tax payments.
Taxmen at any field office will be able to see the number of tax return submitted after the deadline for return submission, according to the NBR.
Also, tax files for audit will be selected automatically based on the criteria set by the NBR, Halder said.
Taxpayers will be able to submit challans as proof of their tax payment and submit their returns.
Mannan said the system will be more effective when taxpayers will be able to pay tax electronically and get respite from visiting banks to pay tax.
NBR Chairman Rahman said they are working to ensure electronic tax payment.
To automate the whole tax administration and tax system, the NBR took the e-filing of tax returns initiative in 2011 at a cost of Tk 78.98 crore.
Of the amount, Tk 12.98 crore came from government funds and the rest from the Asian Development Bank.
The tax authority has already brought its tax offices under one network as part of its automation process.
It has also set up a data centre along with a data recovery centre at the Bangladesh Computer Council.
The deadline for individuals to submit income tax returns is November 30, which is now called the Tax Day.
Taxpayers will have to pay a penalty if they do not submit returns on or before the deadline, the NBR said.
Taxmen said they have already accommodated the current fiscal year's income tax-related changes in the e-filing software.
The tax authority said the online return filing system will be rolled out to mark the beginning of the weeklong tax fair on November 1.
The annual show, which started on a popular note in 2010, will take place at the under-construction headquarters of the NBR at Agargaon in Dhaka.
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