Top taxpayers to be honoured today

The National Board of Revenue will honour the country's top taxpayers today to celebrate their compliance and commitment to paying taxes regularly.

At the national level, the tax collector will honour 141 individuals who paid the highest amount of tax, including 75 people, who paid the largest amounts of income tax in fiscal 2020-21, at a ceremony at the Officers' Club Dhaka.

In addition, it will also recognise 525 taxpayers in two categories -- highest amounts and longest periods -- at the city corporation and district levels, said NBR Spokesperson Syed A Momen.

At the event, the NBR will also honour 63 of the biggest and long-running taxpayers. Field offices of the tax administration will recognise the remaining top taxpayers throughout the country.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is expected to honour the highest taxpayers at the event in Dhaka.

The NBR started recognising top taxpayers in 2010-11, beginning with the top taxpayers in two categories -- individuals and companies. It aimed to motivate people to pay tax regularly in the country which has a tax-GDP ratio of less than 10 per cent, the lowest in South Asia.

At present, 3.5 per cent of the total population of around 17 crore are registered taxpayers and 2 per cent file returns of their income regularly.