NBR to host winter tax fair

The National Board of Revenue plans to organise a tax fair next month to help taxpayers file returns and accomplish other related tasks, an official said yesterday.

The show, dubbed as winter tax fair, may take place from November 19 to November 21 in eight places -- two in Dhaka and six in other divisional cities -- to deliver one-stop and hassle-free services to taxpayers.

"We plan to organise the event again as taxpayers' interests have grown," he said.

The tax administrator is taking the initiative following a good response from taxpayers in the weeklong tax fair in September.

Impressed by the outcome, Finance Minister AMA Muhith also asked the NBR to organise another event during winter.

At the fair, taxpayers will be able to submit their annual tax returns and get acknowledgement receipts on the spot.

Taxmen will also help visitors sign up for electronically generated taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) or re-register for old TINs at the upcoming fair.

The NBR has been organising the event since 2010 to encourage people to pay taxes and to widen the tax net.

Of Bangladesh's 16 crore population, 17 lakh have TINs but nearly 12 lakh submitted returns last year, which upsets policymakers. The tax authority aims to collect more than 50 percent of revenue through income taxes by fiscal 2021-22.

Last month, the NBR organised the annual fair up to the upazila level and recorded 7.57 lakh visitors, the highest ever in the six-year history of the event. It also received Tk 2,035 crore in tax, the highest amount so far from the event.