Top taxpayers honoured

The government yesterday honoured 76 individuals, including Transcom Group Chairman Shahnaz Rahman, The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, and Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, who deposited some of the highest amounts of tax in fiscal year 2021-22. 

Shahnaz Rahman, wife of late Latifur Rahman, former chairman of Transcom Group, got the award from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as one of the top taxpayers in female category.

The tax authority awarded Shahnaz with the same status several times previously.

The NBR also honoured Mahfuz Anam and Matiur Rahman as top taxpayers in the journalist category at Officers' Club in Dhaka yesterday.

It is the seventh consecutive year both were awarded with crests and tax cards for payment of the highest amount of tax to the state exchequer.

Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Impress Telefilm (Channel i), Shykh Seraj, founder director and head of news at Channel i, and Naem Nizam, editor of Bangladesh Pratidin, were the three other top taxpayers in journalist category.

Apart from individuals, the tax collector recognised 53 companies and 12 other organisations as the highest taxpaying entities in fiscal year 2021-22.

This includes Mediastar, the parent company of Bangla daily Prothom Alo. The firm, a sister concern of Transcom Group, won the accolade for the seventh year in a row in the print and electronic media category.

Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman received the tax card on behalf of Mediastar from NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem at the event.

In the print and electronic media category, East West Media Group, Somoy Media and Times Media also received the tax card for paying the highest amounts of tax.

Md Kamrul Hassan, chief financial officer of Transcom, received the tax card on behalf of Shahnaz Rahman. ASM Nazrul Islam, head of corporate affairs and tax of The Daily Star, received the tax card on behalf of Mahfuz Anam.

Separately, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) awarded 525 individuals who paid the highest amount of tax and for the longest period of time at the district and city corporation level.

"I really feel honoured," said Dr Pran Gopal Datta, former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, after receiving the crest and tax card as a top taxpayer among doctors in fiscal year 2021-22.

He started paying tax since 1983.

"I think it's a moral responsibility to pay taxes," he said at the event, where Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal was present.

To bring all those eligible under the tax net, he said the tax authority should explain the benefits of tax payment to people.

Only then, they will feel encouraged to pay taxes, he said.

For more than a decade, the NBR has been giving tax cards and awards to the top taxpayers to motivate people to be compliant and create a culture of tax payment in the country of nearly 17 crore population with over 80 lakh registered taxpayers.

Yet, only around 30 lakh taxpayers file income tax returns regularly although the government estimates the number of people having the capacity to pay tax would be around 4 crore.

At the event, NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said taxpayers are playing a key role in taking the country forward.

"It is because of the taxpayers that the government is able to implement various development activities," he said.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, said paying taxes is not just a responsibility. It is a good thing, he said.