Yearlong NBR efforts to net in new taxpayers go barren
Monday, 17 November 2008
Doulot Akter Mala
The ongoing countrywide survey for finding new taxpayers failed to reach its goal as no new taxpayer could be brought under the tax net so far.
The survey has so far identified about 0.1 million potential taxpayers, said a senior National Board of Revenue (NBR) official.
The revenue board is yet to issue any TIN (taxpayers' identification number) against those newly surveyed people in some business houses. These people were supposed to pay tax from the current fiscal.
At least 100,562 businesses and professionals have been identified as potential taxpayers in the country-wide survey undertaken by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), officials said. Of them, nearly 63 per cent were businessmen from old Dhaka and 62 per cent professionals from Gulshan-Banani areas, according to the survey.
Lack of coordination between survey teams and tax zones has made the yearlong efforts of the NBR to net new taxpayers fruitless, said an official preferring anonymity.
There was no proper guideline as to who would be responsible for issuance of TIN to those individuals and businesses, he said.
The revenue board kicked off the drive from March 29, 2007. Targeting businessmen and professionals, the board aimed to bring some 164,000 new taxpayers under the tax net in fiscal 2007-08.
When asked about the outcome of the survey, concerned officials failed to produce any official data on how many TINs were issued against the surveyed new taxpayers in businesses.
There are differences in opinion among the tax officials on issuance of TIN against the surveyed people. Although there are no official data some officials claimed that more than 10 per cent of the new identified people has obtained their TINs.
NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid Sunday held a meeting with all tax commissioners of different tax zones to follow up the issue.
This year, the number of TINs also reduced to adopted in 1982.
Bangladesh favoured the 'equity' principle in delimitating the sea-border, while Yangon emphasised 'equidistant' policy.
Myanmar was favouring to adopt a 'friendship line' claiming that the sea-territory should be determined by this line based on discussions during 1970s, which, however, never got approval as no agreement was signed in this connection.
The application of 'equidistant' line would frustrate the very purpose of maritime delimitation to ensure an equitable result. If the 'equidistant' principle is applied, Bangladesh will become self-locked, the foreign secretary said.
The meeting is set to conclude today (Monday), and the Myanmar delegation is expected to meet Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Foreign Secretary Md Tauhid Hossain after the meeting.
The ongoing countrywide survey for finding new taxpayers failed to reach its goal as no new taxpayer could be brought under the tax net so far.
The survey has so far identified about 0.1 million potential taxpayers, said a senior National Board of Revenue (NBR) official.
The revenue board is yet to issue any TIN (taxpayers' identification number) against those newly surveyed people in some business houses. These people were supposed to pay tax from the current fiscal.
At least 100,562 businesses and professionals have been identified as potential taxpayers in the country-wide survey undertaken by the National Board of Revenue (NBR), officials said. Of them, nearly 63 per cent were businessmen from old Dhaka and 62 per cent professionals from Gulshan-Banani areas, according to the survey.
Lack of coordination between survey teams and tax zones has made the yearlong efforts of the NBR to net new taxpayers fruitless, said an official preferring anonymity.
There was no proper guideline as to who would be responsible for issuance of TIN to those individuals and businesses, he said.
The revenue board kicked off the drive from March 29, 2007. Targeting businessmen and professionals, the board aimed to bring some 164,000 new taxpayers under the tax net in fiscal 2007-08.
When asked about the outcome of the survey, concerned officials failed to produce any official data on how many TINs were issued against the surveyed new taxpayers in businesses.
There are differences in opinion among the tax officials on issuance of TIN against the surveyed people. Although there are no official data some officials claimed that more than 10 per cent of the new identified people has obtained their TINs.
NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid Sunday held a meeting with all tax commissioners of different tax zones to follow up the issue.
This year, the number of TINs also reduced to adopted in 1982.
Bangladesh favoured the 'equity' principle in delimitating the sea-border, while Yangon emphasised 'equidistant' policy.
Myanmar was favouring to adopt a 'friendship line' claiming that the sea-territory should be determined by this line based on discussions during 1970s, which, however, never got approval as no agreement was signed in this connection.
The application of 'equidistant' line would frustrate the very purpose of maritime delimitation to ensure an equitable result. If the 'equidistant' principle is applied, Bangladesh will become self-locked, the foreign secretary said.
The meeting is set to conclude today (Monday), and the Myanmar delegation is expected to meet Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Foreign Secretary Md Tauhid Hossain after the meeting.