Tax Ombudsman's office receives poor response from taxpayers
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Doulot Akter Mala
The Tax Ombudsman's office has received poor response from the taxpayers over the past one year due to lack of awareness among the people.
Sources said lack of logistic support, manpower shortage and dearth in infrastructure facility are responsible for the delay in launching the awareness campaign.
Khairuzzaman Chowdhury, the former NBR chairman, was appointed the country's first Tax Ombudsman for a four-year term in July 2006.
The office will soon launch a countrywide campaign to raise awareness among the people to avail the opportunity of lodging complaints against harassment of taxmen, sources concerned said.
The revenue judicial body has so far resolved 40 cases relating to income tax, customs and Vat (value added tax), they said.
Sources concerned said the office has received around 70 complaints furnishing sufficient and proper information in the past one year. Of which, the highest number of complaints lodged was against income tax officials followed by Customs and VAT officials.
The office has been investigating another 12 complaints.
Official sources said many taxpayers directly go to court, whereas the Tax Ombudsman can resolve the disputes free of cost.
Lack of knowledge about the activities of the Tax Ombudsman is responsible for such poor response.
Officials of the Tax Ombudsman's office are not happy with the volume and nature of complaints lodged so far in the office.
The law has empowered the Tax Ombudsman to deal with any malpractice regarding NBR-related taxes -- VAT, import duty and income tax.
The Tax Ombudsman's office has prepared a format to help the aggrieved taxpayers to lodge complaints.
The taxpayers have to provide all documents relating to their complaints. Anonymous and unclear complaints will not be accepted.
A taxpayer will have to sign a declaration before complaining against tax officials. If an issue has been dealt with by a court or is pending with a court, the ombudsman's office will not handle it.
According to Tax Ombudsman Act, the taxpayers should inform the authorities concerned about the harassment by the taxmen within six months.
The taxpayers could lodge the complaints through courier and postal services or in person.
The government has introduced the system aiming to ensure accountability and transparency in the tax administration.
The Tax Ombudsman's office has received poor response from the taxpayers over the past one year due to lack of awareness among the people.
Sources said lack of logistic support, manpower shortage and dearth in infrastructure facility are responsible for the delay in launching the awareness campaign.
Khairuzzaman Chowdhury, the former NBR chairman, was appointed the country's first Tax Ombudsman for a four-year term in July 2006.
The office will soon launch a countrywide campaign to raise awareness among the people to avail the opportunity of lodging complaints against harassment of taxmen, sources concerned said.
The revenue judicial body has so far resolved 40 cases relating to income tax, customs and Vat (value added tax), they said.
Sources concerned said the office has received around 70 complaints furnishing sufficient and proper information in the past one year. Of which, the highest number of complaints lodged was against income tax officials followed by Customs and VAT officials.
The office has been investigating another 12 complaints.
Official sources said many taxpayers directly go to court, whereas the Tax Ombudsman can resolve the disputes free of cost.
Lack of knowledge about the activities of the Tax Ombudsman is responsible for such poor response.
Officials of the Tax Ombudsman's office are not happy with the volume and nature of complaints lodged so far in the office.
The law has empowered the Tax Ombudsman to deal with any malpractice regarding NBR-related taxes -- VAT, import duty and income tax.
The Tax Ombudsman's office has prepared a format to help the aggrieved taxpayers to lodge complaints.
The taxpayers have to provide all documents relating to their complaints. Anonymous and unclear complaints will not be accepted.
A taxpayer will have to sign a declaration before complaining against tax officials. If an issue has been dealt with by a court or is pending with a court, the ombudsman's office will not handle it.
According to Tax Ombudsman Act, the taxpayers should inform the authorities concerned about the harassment by the taxmen within six months.
The taxpayers could lodge the complaints through courier and postal services or in person.
The government has introduced the system aiming to ensure accountability and transparency in the tax administration.