National Board of Revenue Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman yesterday said the board is trying to practice good governance in all its offices from now on.
He also requested the businesses to come with specific information if they face any sort of harassment from tax officials.
The NBR chairman came up with the statement responding to an allegation surfaced by the president of Dokan Malik Samity SA Kader Kiron at a pre-budget meeting held in NBR headquarters yesterday.
“If you face any sort of hassle, provide us with detail information. How much you have paid and how much was deposited to the government exchequer - everything will be checked,” he said.
Dokan Malik Samity president SA Kader Kiron asked NBR to stop corruption at its circle offices.
“We are ready to pay VAT, but the officers at circle offices do not agree to receive the package VAT from us. If we send the challan after paying package VAT online, they do not agree with our staff. They ask the business men to meet them in person and they want bribe,” he said, demanding a business-friendly tax atmosphere.
In response, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said the matter will be taken into consideration.
“We are still working on how to make the VAT payment online effective. It will be fully functional from 2016, and after that, you will not face any such problem,” he said.
Addressing the same meeting, Bangladesh Supermarket Owners’ Association general secretary Zakir Hossain Raju sought duty waiver from NBR in import of refrigerated van to keep the products fresh for the clients.
“We have to face around 30% wastage while transporting vegetables from rural areas to Dhaka. If the refrigerated vans are allowed to import with benefits, we can provide fresh and cost effective vegetables to the clients,” he said.
Echoing with the demand, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Director Manzur Ahmed said if the benefit is allowed, it will help maintain interlinking supply of the products from outside the capital.
The association also demanded the same VAT rate between the regular shops and the supermarkets.
In the meeting, Bangladesh Security Services Association, a platform of 700 security companies demanded full exemption from income tax, VAT, custom duties and turnover tax.
Bangladesh Mudran Shilpa Samity senior vice-president Tofayel Khan said they should be allowed to import duty-free papers as they print the government text books.
Md Jahirul Islam from Bangladesh Photographic Society said the duty on digital cameras should be reduced to 2% from the existing 31% as most of these are now brought in the country with baggage system.
International Air Express Association of Bangladesh representative Rezaul Haque Rubel urged the NBR to allow them duty-free import of special van and transport to be used during strikes to deliver parcels across the country.
In the meeting, NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman said they will work towards developing relationship with stakeholders.
“We are working on how to ensure a tax-friendly atmosphere. The prime minister has instructed us to increase tax net, rather than imposing more tax on taxpayers and we are working on it,” he said.