Tax fair to expand to more upazilas this year

The National Board of Revenue will expand tax fairs to 103 upazilas this year to reach the grassroots in a bigger way in a bid to create awareness and motivate people to pay tax, said officials yesterday.

Last year the tax administration organised the event in 86 upazilas for at least one day along with all divisional cities from November 1 to 7.

“We are expanding the coverage of the fair to reach the doorsteps of taxpayers. We hope to expand the fair to more upazilas in future,” said Abu Md Quamrul Hasan, first secretary for tax monitoring and training at the NBR.

He said the fair would be organised through mobile vans for a day in some upazilas and at fixed places for two days in other upazilas during the week.

The show will be organised for four days in all 64 districts.

The fair will take place every day beginning from the first day of November to November 7 in all eight divisional cities.

In Dhaka, the NBR will organise the event at its under-construction headquarters in Agargaon.

The fair aims to help taxpayers complete tax-related formalities, including submission of tax returns for the fiscal 2017-18.

The tax authority said there would be help desks at the fair so taxpayers can submit returns. Taxpayers will also be able to pay taxes through Sonali and Janata banks, while potential taxpayers will get electronically generated taxpayer identification number.

The NBR said separate booths would provide tax-related assistance to the women, the physically challenged, the elderly and freedom fighters. Booths will also be set up to aid taxpayers to file returns online.

The NBR will also organise tax week from November 24 to 30 at field offices so that taxpayers can complete tax-related formalities ahead of the November 30 deadline for submission of income tax returns.

It will honour 141 top taxpayers to encourage people to be tax compliant.

The NBR has been holding the fair since 2010 to motivate people to pay taxes and create a tax culture in a country where less than 1 percent of the population submits returns regularly.

Since the introduction, the popularity of the event has grown as it helps taxpayers receive assistance, submit returns and complete formalities without visiting tax offices.

Last year, the number of service recipients surged to 7.57 lakh. Some 1.94 lakh returns were filed during last year's event, surpassing the previous high of 1.61 lakh registered the preceding year.

The NBR realised Tk 2,129 crore in tax during last year's fair, up 5 percent from the previous year.