3,000 e-cash registers' use begins today in six cities

A file photo shows a man receiving sales proceedings from a customer through an electronic cash register at a shop in Dhaka.

Mandatory installation of electronic cash register (ECR) at some selective shops, hotels and restaurants at six city corporations comes into effect today, paving the way for introducing ECRs at all small and medium shops and service providers across the country by July 1.
A total of 3,000 selective hotels, restaurants, fast food, sweet and furniture shops, beauty parlours, community centres and all shops at shopping malls will start using ECRs from today.
However automated business establishments will not need to install ECRs if they incorporate some specific software into their systems to preserve their actual sales figure.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken the move of installing ECRs at shops against the backdrop of resentment among a section of businessmen who have already automated their operations.
Earlier the NBR decided to frame a policy to regulate the ECR suppliers who have after-sales customer service. The policy will also ensure the actual configuration of the ECR machines as required by the regulations for getting transparent figure of sales tax.
The NBR is trying to introduce ECR at all small and medium enterprises in a bid to plug holes in VAT (value added tax) collection procedure.
"Non-recorded data hinder VAT collection from services sector. The problem can easily be solved through installation of ECR. Both the businessmen and government exchequer will be benefited with the introduction of the system," an NBR official said.
The recorded documents will help the government collect actual revenue and the business owners assess their tangible turnover, he added.
Some big shops in the capital are paying a nominal monthly VAT at a flat rate of Tk 4,200, although only small shops are entitled to pay at such rate, NBR officials said.
Shops having only Tk 120 per day turnover can pay tax at the flat rate. But a number of those shops have millions of taka worth sales a day, the officials said.
There will be some changes in the category of shops that are paying tax at the flat rate, they added.
The revenue board has faced strong resistance from businesses after issuing the order on mandatory installation of ECR by July 1, 2008. Following requests from businesses, the NBR has extended the timeframe for ECR installation to July 1 this year.