One-third of JS election aspirants don't have TINs

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Doulot Akter Mala
Around one-third of the individuals seeking to contest in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad election do not have any taxpayer identification numbers (TINs).
Out of a total of 2362 election aspirants, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has identified 891 without tax files. The non-TIN holders include a few big names, including Major (retd) Abdul Mannan of Bikalpadhara, Mr ASM Abdur Rab of JSD and Joynal Abedin, a BNP candidate from Feni-2.
The NBR has collected the tax related information from all tax offices across the country as per the lists of candidates provided by the Election Commission.
However, the board is yet to collect names and lists of all candidates from across the country including Dhaka. Initially, the board has published names of 161 election aspirants as per the EC-provided list.
According to the EC list, a total of 244 candidates have submitted nomination papers from Dhaka division. Initially, the NBR has identified 48 candidates having no tax files.
"A person, who desires to be a lawmaker must comply with the country's law. He must be aware of the importance of his/her job," said NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid.
It is the basic right of a citizen to contest in any national election. But s/he should be a TIN holder, he said.
The tax payment scrutiny of election candidates will come into focus from now on. The issue has remained unexplored so far, he said.
"The board for the first time in its history has scrutinised the tax related data prior to any national election. It has found only 1497 election aspirants who have TINs out of 2362 candidates," said NBR member (tax administration) Ahmed Ali.
"The NBR will take stern action against the big wigs who want to become lawmakers without complying with the laws," he said.
As per existing income tax law, the NBR has the authority to impose heavy penalty, file tax evasion cases against tax dodgers.
Under the rule-164 of income tax law, a tax evader may be sentenced to suffer a minimum of one-year imprisonment or pay a fine at a rate of Tk 50 per day or Tk 250 a month.
When asked about cancellation of candidature for evading taxes, the NBR member said: "The EC will decide in this matter".
In the income tax law, section-75, every candidate should have a TIN but the government never addressed the issue with due priority earlier, he said.
It is an effective measure to identify big tax dodgers who spend millions of taka for election purposes every year depriving the government of its due revenue, the tax member said.
In the first phase, the NBR will serve notice on the candidates asking them to inform NBR whether they have TIN or not, he said.
"The board will arrange a hearing before proceeding further in line with the existing income tax law."
The NBR is collecting details of those candidates without TINs from across the country. So far it has published names of 161 candidates.
Among the election aspirants, 25 candidates found without TIN under Chittagong tax zone-3, 27 in Rangpur, 17 in Kurigram, 2 in Lalmonirhat, 14 in Nilphamari, 17 in Gaibandha, 13 in Dinajpur, 5 in Thakurgaon, 5 Panchagarh, 6 in Kishoreganj.
Among the prominent election candidates, BNP candidates Joynal Abedin of Feni-2, Md. Abul Khayer Bhuiyan of Laksmipur-2, Shahiduddin Annie of Laksmipur-3, Lutfur Rahman Kajol of Cox's Bazar-3, Hasina Salahuddin of Cox's Bazar-3 are found without tax files according to their declaration.
Awami League candidates without TINs are: Jatindralal Tripura of Khagrachhari, Harunur Rashid of Laksmipur-2, Salahuddin Ahmed of Cox's Bazar-1, Mostaq Ahmed Chowdhury of Cox's Bazar-3, Abdur Rauf Chowdhury of Laksmipur-4, Sharfuddin Ahmed of Rangpur-1 are among the major candidates.
JSD leader ASM Abdur Rab of Laksmipur-4 and Bikalpadhara candidate Major Abdul Mannan of Laksmipur-4 were also found without TINs.