Taxpayers playing key role in building self-reliant Bangladesh: Economists

Economists at a seminar on Tuesday said taxpayers are playing the most vital role in building a self-reliant Bangladesh through strengthening the country's economy and accelerating the pace of development.

They put emphasis on creating awareness for increasing the number of taxpayers and making the taxpaying methods easier side by side strengthening the monitoring system to curb tax evasion.

They came up with the observation at the seminar styled 'Fixing Income Tax of Individuals' held at the auditorium of Rangpur Chamber of Commence and Industry (RCCI) in Rangpur city, reports BSS.

The Department of Accounting and Information Systems (AIS) of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) and RCCI jointly organised the seminar to enhance social awareness for increasing the number of income tax payers.

With Head of the Department of AIS Shahinur Rahman in the chair, directors, officials and executives of RCCI, leaders of other business organisations, exporters and importers, and students of the Department of AIS of BRUR participated in the event.

Professor of the Department of Management Studies of BRUR Dr Md Matiur Rahman and RCCI President Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu were present as the chief guest and special guest respectively.

Associate Professor of the Department of AIS of American International University- Bangladesh (AIUB) Mohammad Faridul Alam presented the keynote paper as the main resource person.

Assistant professors of the Department of AIS of BRUR Md Amir Sharif and Umar Farooque, Senior Vice-president of RCCI Mostoba Hossain Ripan and its director Md Reaz Shahid Shovan took part as the discussants.

The speakers said Bangladesh has achieved laudable success on its way to becoming a middle-income nation and spontaneous tax payment by all eligible citizens will further accelerate the process to ensure social justice and equitable wealth distribution.

They called for increasing the number of income tax payers and inspiring them in paying income taxes spontaneously by availing the facilities being provided by the government through the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu said the national economy will be strengthened further removing dependence on foreign loans for conducting national developments if all bigger, medium and small-scale taxpayers pay their respective tax spontaneously.

The chief guest urged the businesspersons, industrialists, common citizens and students to come forward in creating social awareness to increase the number of income tax payers to enhance revenue earning for building a self-reliant national economy.