The taxpayers could not yet come out of the perception they would have to face hassles in the tax offices though the National Board of Revenue is constantly insisting the people to take the services like registration and payment hassle free.
Taxpayers alleged that the much known corruption still exists in the zonal and circle offices of revenue body that they have to face hassles by the tax officials.
“We still need to pay bribe to the taxmen while visiting tax offices for any sort of tax related services,” Shariful Islam Chowdhury, a senior citizen of Circle 21 told the Dhaka Tribune Tuesday. “If you are not willing to pay bribe, you cannot make your work done hassle-free.”
This correspondent met Chowdhury at a stationary shop near the NBR headquarters in Dhaka while he was re-registering with the Electronic Taxpayers Identification Number (eTIN) replacing his existing TIN number.
Roving around the areas, it was found that many taxpayers are registering themselves with eTIN from several stationary shops, accessories shops and cyber cafe’s where they can get tax related services online.
Asked why he is not visiting the revenue office for eTIN or not doing the work himself online, Chowdhury said: “All I need here is just submit my documents and the work is made done within five to ten minutes. If I were in the tax office, I would have faced hassles or have to pay bribes.”
An owner of the Popular Enterprise at Segunbagicha said they demand Tk100 for registering each TIN number.
“Through online services, we are supporting the taxpayers and providing the time consuming services in exchange for only Tk100 for each registration,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
He estimated that a minimum of 40-50 people are getting the registration services everyday from his shop. They are not permitted for this business saying: “Though we are not permitted for this business, the process is not illegal.
We are just serving taxpayers in a hassle-free way which they have to face at the revenue offices. Taxpayers are willingly receiving the services from us to avoid the unfriendly environment.”
NBR member M Bashir Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune they have placed no bar at the eTIN process to bring forward it to the clients’ door.
“As you see, we have introduced the system to the Upazilla level as well. We have placed no bar to facilitate people who do not have access to internet.
If people can have fastest service from such businesses, the NBR do not have any problem with that. All we need is to just serve people with the service and broaden the tax net,” he said.
To ensure pro-active role in revenue collection and develop collector-client relationship, NBR has introduced eTIN system, making automation system in each of its three departments, working towards e-payment system to make the overall system digitised.
An NBR official told the Dhaka Tribune that they have launched eTIN as a hassle-free system to ensure accountability in tax collection, simplify complexity of the overall process and ensure transparency.
Earlier from September 16 to 22, NBR organised a weeklong Income Tax Fair to make people aware on the tax payment system.
At the concluding ceremony of the fair, lawmakers and NBR members emphasised on making an easy process for tax related services saying people always fears the tax officials, and to overcome the fear among taxpayers, awareness creation and digitisation of the process is a must where no corruption can take place.
The NBR on July 1 introduced eTIN system to boost revenue collection, reduce hassles and prevent issuance of fake TINs. With the automated database, the existing and new ones will have to register with the eTIN within December 31.
Computer generated TIN certificates will be issued as soon as the application procedure is completed online.
For the FY13-14, NBR set a revenue target of Tk1.36tn and the introduction of eTIN is expected to help the revenue board to achieve the target.
