The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The National Board of Revenue is ready to give income-tax information to any government agency that needs it for election purpose, as defaulters cannot contest the polls.

NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid said this yesterday, now that nominating candidates by the political parties for the upcoming general election is in final stages of election preparation. "We have done our preparation. If any government agency wants any income-tax information about any candidate, we are ready to provide that and we will do that under the existing law," he said at a press briefing in the NBR conference room.

The government's revenue-department chief also disclosed that 676,100 people submitted their income-tax returns this year whereas the number of Tax Identification Number (TIN) holders is 2,262,885.

A sum of Tk 792 crore was deposited with the national exchequer from the income tax while it was Tk 739 crore and Tk 252 crore in 2007-08 and 2006-07 fiscals respectively.

Responding a question, he said the NBR would take its own actions against the tax-evaders under the exiting rules-and it would be tough action. "We will apply all our arms to catch the tax-dodgers and the ongoing self- motivation campaign will go on as well," he said.

Replying to a question about appointing the PSI audit firm against which some allegations have already come out, he said they would leave no stone unturned before appointing an appropriate and reliable PSI audit firm.

"We did not appoint the PSI audit firm yet, but let me ensure you that NBR will scrutinize all information that has been given by the PSI audit firm," he said.

The evaluation committee of the NBR selected the US-based National Marine Consultants Inc. (NMCI) as it was the lone responsive company.

About the netting of the undisclosed money holders-a drive that recently threw many bigwigs behind bars-the NBR chairman informed that his organization has already formed a team comprising its inspection directorate, survey directorate and intelligence cell.

"This team will go sector-wise and organization-wise to detect the undisclosed money holders," he said.

He also hinted that the NBR would go for digging out the source of income of those whose children are studying in highly paid schools, colleges and universities.

Mazid mentioned that NBR would check the huge number of TIN holders in the country who are not submitting income-tax return regularly.

"We are now thinking about checking the TIN numbers of the credit card holders to detect the fake TIN numbers as we suspect that the number of fake TIN holders is huge in the country," he told the tax reporters.