RAJSHAHI, Sept 24 (BSS): Income tax of over Tk 10.70 million was collected in a weeklong Tax Fair-2014 that concluded here on Monday.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) organised the fair for the fourth consecutive time in the city like other divisional city to inspire taxpayers in paying their income taxes coupled with generating more new taxpayers.
According to the officials concerned, this year's income tax earning is around Tk 3.0 million more than that of the previous year.
On the closing day of the fair, the taxpayers' turnout was significantly higher than those of the earlier days, triggering the overall submission of tax returns and tax payment.
Some 2,710 returns were submitted, of which 250 were new ones. Besides, more than 14,200 taxpayers received different services from the fair. Around 198 taxpayers have completed e-TIN registration in the fair.
A total of nine stalls were set up in the fair, which remained open from 9am to 5pm every day. New taxpayers collected their tax identification numbers (TINs) while the previous TIN holders submitted their income tax returns at the fair.
The Rajshahi tax zone collected tax worth Tk 2.57 billion in last FY 2013-14 up by Tk 3.70 million than the previous fiscal.
The zone had set a target of collection Tk 2.50 billion but the collection was Tk 2.57 billion from around 0.11 million taxpayers. Of them 54,000 submitted returns.
"The target has been surpassed due to the continuous effort to enhance the number of taxpayers," said Commissioner of Rajshahi Tax Zone Sunil Kumar Shaha adding that the rate of income tax earning has been growing day by day, as the government took initiatives in bringing simplicity in the tax realisation system together with building cordial relationship among the tax officials and taxpayers.
"We are satisfied over the overall tax collection and return submission. Increased curiosity among the general public about the tax payment system has been seen in the weeklong fair," he said.
"We have set a target to realise taxes worth Tk 3.25 billion in the current FY 2014-15 and are hopeful about attaining the target by the end of the fiscal," said Sunil Kumar.
To expand the tax network, various motivational campaigns like tax fair, spot assessment, survey and rewards for the taxpayers have been introduced, he added.
