NBR begins distributing 'status card' to self-motivated tax-payers

Doulot Akter Mala | Published: August 14, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has moved for distributing 'status card' to self-motivated tax-payers across the country to facilitate a hassle-free tax payment environment for them throughout life.

The Board recently initiated the move to show due respect to the voluntary tax-payers. It distributed the card to 574 new tax-payers' of northern cities of the country last week.

"We will send the card to all the self-motivated tax-payers who responded to the government's motivational campaign since February last," NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid told the FE.

"Self-motivated tax-payers will enjoy submission of tax returns facility without question at least for three years," said NBR chief.

Tax-payers' having the 'status card' will get special honour and respect from taxmen at the time of filing their tax returns, he added.

The NBR has started the motivational programme to increase the number of direct tax-payers' by reaching people in every corner of the country.

Cross-section of people including small traders, housewives, businessmen having taxable income, have been obtaining Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) paying token tax in presence of the NBR chief.

Focusing on district and upazila levels, the NBR will continue the move until September before the end of the time frame of submission of individuals' tax return.

"We have covered 80 per cent upazilas across the country with the motivational programmes. Local chambers, government officials and media personalities have been cooperating with the NBR in conducting the programme successfully," said the NBR chairman.

Last week, the NBR chief visited the northern region including Panchagarh, Thakurgoan, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Kurigram.

The NBR chairman expressed his satisfaction over the response of people during his three-day visit to the northern part of the country, which was known as 'Monga-affected area.'

Around 275 people obtained TIN in Thakurgoan followed by 151 in Rangpur and Nilphamari, 76 in Kurigram, 44 in Lalmonirhat and 28 in Panchagarh.

The Board started the 'self-motivated new tax-payers' movement in the northern town of Bogra where 128 people spontaneously joined tax net by paying a token money of Tk 2000 each.

Only around 0.92 million people pay taxes in Bangladesh, one of the lowest in the world. The country's tax-GDP ratio hovers around 9.0 per cent, which is the lowest in Asia.

The NBR chairman said there must be at least 20 million tax-payers' across the country, but it is unfortunate that there are only 2.2 million TIN holders.

"We need to widen the tax-base at any cost. And we want to increase the number of tax-payers through persuasion and motivation, but not force," said Mr. Mazid.

In the current fiscal, the government has set an income tax collection target of Tk 130.57 billion, which is 24 per cent of the aggregate revenue collection target of Tk 545 billion.

The NBR had been able to maintain a robust 35 per cent growth in income tax collection in the just concluded fiscal thanks to anti-corruption drive of the Caretaker Government and significant improvement of tax compliances.