10,000 third-party manpower to find out eligible taxpayers

The government will use some 10,000 people through third-party sources to widen the tax net to upazila level by this year.

"Students of college and universities and jobseekers will be appointed to find out eligible taxpayers with a view to increasing the number of new taxpayers," said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday.

He was addressing an iftar party organised by the finance ministry for Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the NEC conference room in the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Kamal also said tax offices would be set up at the upazila level.

 "We have to collect Tk 3.25 lakh crore more in revenues. If we are not able to collect Tk 6.50 lakh crore in total revenue then there will not be any consistency between this dynamic economy and revenue collection. So we have to materialise this move," he stated.

"We will not increase the tax burden on those who already pay but will look to bring in new taxpayers," he said.

"We will not hurt the people rather we will motivate them to pay taxes as it is their responsibility as citizens," Kamal said.

He drew an analogy of a French king who had instructed his subjects to fetch him swan feathers while making sure that the swans do not get hurt. "My tax policy would also be like that," he said.

Kamal also said everybody should realise the importance of tax and tax was not a matter to panic.

About export and import, he said all consignments would be scanned and at least 10 percent of products would be checked manually to address false declarations.

He alleged that some importers were evading duty by falsely declaring products. "So, consignments, both export and import, will be checked," he said.