Income tax fair kicks off on cheery note
The tax official took a moment to find out the tax zone for the prospective taxpayer, Salma Begum, a resident from Haricharan Roy Road in Old Dhaka.
The official typed the address on computer, marked the tax zone and got a printout containing the name of Salma, address of the tax office, tax circle, zone and other information.
Salma took the printed copy and headed for stalls that provide tax identification number (TIN).
That was a scene at the Income Tax Fair that began yesterday at Officers' Club in Dhaka where many prospective and present taxpayers gathered either to get TINs, submit tax return forms or to seek help to clear confusion about forms and paying tax.
For the second time, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has organised 'Income Tax Fair' across the country to create awareness and motivate people to pay tax to boost revenue receipts.
In Bangladesh, only 9 lakh of 15 crore population now pay tax.
Last year, the tax authority organised the fair only in Dhaka and Chittagong.
This year, the fair is being held in all divisional cities thanks to the huge response that the NBR received in the maiden fair where thousands of prospective taxpayers got TINs instantly.
Last year, some 52,440 tax returns were submitted, helping the collector log Tk 113 crore in income tax.
The tax administrator expects to receive 100,000 visitors and log Tk 300 crore in income tax this year.
At the fair, the tax administrator offers services such as issuance of TINs on the spot and helping taxpayers fill in tax return forms and paying taxes.
''It's a nice experience. I have got my TIN without spending a single penny,'' said Toufique Mahmud, who works for a garment buying house, Inditex.
''Today the service I have got is different from what we usually get from government offices," said Mahmud who had contacted a tax lawyer to get a TIN.
The lawyer demanded Tk 2,500 for getting the job done. ''The fair has saved me the money,'' he said.
The fair, which remains open from 10am to 6pm until September 22, also has separate booths for women, aged and disabled people.
Ibrar Alam, who teaches human resources management at a private university, said he came to the fair to collect a tax return form.
''If you go to a tax office, you will hear excuses from officials. I am not facing those problems here,'' he said.
Alam, however, said the tax returns forms should be made easier and words should be easily understandable so that anyone can fill in the forms without others' assistance.
''The form is too long and full of many unfamiliar words (in Bangla) that cannot be understood easily,'' said AJM Naushad Khan, a banker.
''The forms should be made user friendly,'' said Khan who came to the fair along with his friends.
''I like the fair. I will submit my returns every year at the event. But it will be wonderful if the authority issues tax certificate instead of acknowledge receipts.''
Like Khan, Anisuzzaman Sarker has also come to the fair to submit tax returns. In the past, he depended on tax lawyer. The fair has given him the scope to learn about the process of submission of returns by himself.
''It's a good initiative. Now I am clear on how to prepare wealth statement and show expenses in the tax returns by myself,'' said Md Zakir Azam, who works for Dhaka Medical College.
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