Businessman Kaus best individual taxpayer in Mujib Year

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Friday honoured noted businessman Hazi Md Kaus Miah as the best individual taxpayer of the Mujib Year.

Mr Miah, a chewing tobacco (zarda) manufacturer, has paid over Tk 448.34 million in taxes on his income to the public exchequer in the current fiscal year (FY) 2020-21.

NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem handed over a crest and a letter of honour to the businessman at a ceremony arranged at the NBR headquarters in the city's Segunbagicha area.

Receiving the crest and letter of honour, Mr Miah said, "I haven't been that gratified like today in my 71 years of business career."

"I have come a long way to attain today's position ... tried to operate the business with honesty ... wish me luck so that I can live rest of my life the same way," he said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the revenue authority for honouring him as the best individual taxpayer of the Mujib Year.

The NBR Chairman said Kaus Miah had been paying taxes voluntarily for many years because of his sense of responsibility and commitment to the country.

According to the NBR, Mr Miah, owner of Hakimpuri Jarda, has been the top individual taxpayer in the country for the last ten consecutive years.

Born on August 26, 1931 in Chandpur, the businessman started his career in his adolescent period as a local agent of over a dozen consumer brands including biscuits, soap and cigarettes.

Mr Miah now has footprints in over 40 types of businesses across the country.

NBR officials said Mr Kaus had been paying taxes since 1958 and he even became the highest taxpayer in 1967.

So far the revenue authority has given the 90 year old businessman 14 awards over the years and his family got the Kar Bahadur title in the FY 2016-17.

The NBR held a draw of lottery of the invoices generated through electronic fiscal devices (EFDs) against purchases by the consumers during the month of February.

About 101 consumers won the lotteries worth nearly Tk 1.22 million this month. NBR held the lottery draw for the second time.

The revenue authority introduced the monthly lottery scheme in the country to encourage consumers to pay value added tax (VAT).

The NBR chairman attended the programme as the chief guest.

The first prize worth Tk 100,000 went to invoice no -003321ERWEVEZ820 and the second price worth Tk 50,000 to the invoice no - 003121FEVEVAN360.

The third prize was awarded to five people having the invoice nos - 000121FUZBDOS818, 001321TEJVVQJ873, 002521TCPEEQB213, 000021PIYEVHE159, and 002520OINLHTL046. They will get Tk 25,000 each.

Besides, another 94 persons won lottery worth Tk 10,000 each.

The winning invoice numbers can be found on the website (http://nbr.gov.bd/) of the revenue authority.

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