Only 13,500 people in Savar, a place known for industrial location near the capital Dhaka, pay income tax regularly, said a National Board of Revenue commissioner responsible for the area’s tax collection.
Speaking at a revenue dialogue yesterday, Shahin Akhter of Dhaka Income Taxes Zone-12, said this was a total number under three circles of the tax zone paying income tax.
She, however, added that around 2,500 had recently been registered as taxpayers.
Savar Municipality Mayor Hazi Abdul Gani believed the number of taxpayers in the area should be at least 39,000. He said the tax payment system would have to be simplified to boost revenue collection.
The “Revenue Dialogue 2016-Savar” was held at Savar Upazila Parishad auditorium.
NBR’s Income Taxes Zone, Dhaka-12 organised the event with support from the Customs, Excise and VAT commissionerate, Dhaka (West).
The dialogue is a part of efforts to expand tax-base in the country, and the plan is being implemented in the relatively solvent upazilas.
NBR Member Jahangir Hossain said the current revenue collection was 60% less tax than the possible collection.
He said: “The taxation system is being simplified as NBR will open call centres so the taxpayers can ask their queries directly to tax officials and get instant answers.”
NBR is now doing spot assessment in different areas of the country where tax officials will charge Tk3,000-5,000 as tax for having asset of Tk8-15 lakh.
Professionals having five years of experience can pay Tk3,000 as annual tax and 10 years experience can pay Tk5,000 as annual income tax.
Local lawmaker Enamur Rahman, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman and Dhaka District Police Super Habibur Rahman, among others, were also present.
Taxpayers registered during the recent spot assessment received certificates at the function.
Nojibur Rahman said the manpower in NBR now increased to 20,000 from 10,000 in 2009.
“We want good people to be involved with the tax services,” NBR chief said. He praised the newcomers in the NBR. “They are not coming to make money here, but to serve the people and the country.”
Nojibur Rahman hoped that the dialogue would be helpful in further expanding the ongoing tax campaign across the country.
He said: “We want to transform the NBR into a digital organisation from the conventional one.”
Dhaka Divisional commissioner Md Zillar Rahman, NBR Member Ziauddin Mahmood and Customs, Excise and VAT commissionerate, Dhaka (West) commissioner Matiur Rahman, also spoke.
