The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam suggested banking on income tax as the main source of internal resources as the share of import duty is going down by the day due the globalization and simplification of world trade system.

He made the observations while addressing the first-ever National Income Tax Day function yesterday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center, where the government honored 316 taxpayers from 64 districts, excluding six city corporations, to motivate other eligible persons to pay taxes.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) organized the National Income Tax Day observance to honor the taxpayers in 'long-term taxpayer' and 'highest taxpayer' categories. NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid presided over the ceremony.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed was supposed to attend the ceremony as chief guest but couldn't for his visit to China from today. The NBR chairman read out a message of greetings from the chief adviser.

Finance Adviser Dr Aziz gave away certificates and crests to six persons each in the two groups (long-term taxpayers and highest taxpayers) from six divisions.

The six tax VIPs in the long-term category are Sayedur Rahm from Dhaka division, Samson H Chowdhury from Rajshahi division, Mohammad Neamat Ullah from Chittagong, Khandokar Sakhawat Hossain from Khulna, Abdul Hamid Miah from Sylhet and Akhteruzzaman from Barisal division.

The six the highest taxpayer category are Rahim Uddin Bharasha from Rajshahi division, Mohammad Yunus Ali from Dhaka, Mohammad Jalal Uddin from Sylhet, Kazi Mozaharul Huq from Khulna, Mashiur Rahman Chowdhury from Chittagong and Manirul Islam Talukder from Barisal division.

Dr Aziz said as Bangladesh is a least developed country (LDC), like the other LDCs Bangladesh has insufficient infrastructure facilities.

"This was mainly caused by lack of adequate funds from the internal resources," he told the gathering.

Dr Aziz admitted that the government could not take proper initiatives for collecting adequate revenue from the internal resources.

He stressed the need for mobilizing resources from the internal sectors of the country, mainly from the income-tax sector.

"We have to put importance on the collection of income tax as this is not only a main source of revenue collection but also a weapon for ensuring social justice," the Adviser told his army of taxmen.

He mentioned the preconditions for increasing income-tax collection, which are transparency of laws, efficiency and neutrality of the tax administration, tax-related education and awareness of the taxpayers and fascination to become self-motivated taxpayers.

"The government has already taken some steps to make tax payment much easier and smoother for the convenience of the taxpayers," the finance adviser said.

These steps are: simplification of the income-tax return system, introducing universal self-assessment system, cutback on the company tax rate and discretionary powers of the tax officials, and training of the NBR officials on automation system.

NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid said that the crest and certificates of the 'long-term taxpayer' and 'highest taxpayer' categories among the six city corporations' taxpayers would be distributed very soon.

"We have to take decision about our next generation whether they will live on loan and aid or step on their own foot. If we go for the second, we have no other option but to pay taxes in due time at due rate," he said.