Income Tax Fair-2015 begins tomorrow (Wednesday) across the country to encourage more people pay their income taxes regularly.
Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the fair at the premises of the Officers’ Club in the capital.
The National Revenue Board (NBR) is organising the fair from September 16 to 22 simultaneously at all the divisional and district headquarters.
A part from that, the NBR will also observe National Income Tax Day today. Finance Minister AMA Muhith will inaugurate the event at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman made an official announcement both for the scheduled fair and the Income Tax Day at a press conference held yesterday at NBR headquarters.
“We did not set any target for revenue collection from the countrywide fair,” said Rahman.
He said, “Our main target is to bag maximum revenue from the fair aimed at improving the number of the taxpayers to 30 lakh by the fiscal year 2018-19.”
The fair will continue for seven days at the divisional headquarters while four days at the district headquarters.
A total of 86 upazilashas brought under the fair for the first time this year. The mobile income tax fair will be held in the upazilas and the duration of the fair will be two days for 29 upazilaseach while one day is kept for the rest 57 upazilas.
The NBR authority has set the revenue target of Tk1,76,370 crore during the current fiscal year, of which 37% or Tk64, 971crore will be bagged from income tax.
The board had earned income tax worth Tk1,675 crorefrom the tax fair last year followed by Tk1,117crore in 2013, Tk831 crore in 2012, Tk414 crore in 2011 and Tk113 crore in 2010.
The number of 1,49,309 taxpayers submit income tax return during the last year where the number was 52,544 in the year 2010.
The number of service recipients from fair improved to 6,49,185 in the last year compared to 60,512, according to the NBR data.
During the fair, the NBR will offer people various services including online facility for submitting income tax return and registering for e-TIN certificate.
Separate booths for women, disabled people and senior citizens have been placed in the fair. SonaliBank and Janata Bank will also set up booths at the venue, so people can pay their income tax.The fair will remain open for the visitors from 10am to 6pm.
The NBR has been organising the national tax fair since 2008 to develop a tax paying culture among the people.