‘Wall between NBR and tax payers should be broken’
27 November 2022
Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a seminar on Saturday said that the wall between the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the tax payers should be broken to increase tax net.
Underscoring the need for simplifying tax laws and acts, they said, "Paying tax is holy duty of the citizens for the welfare of the state and should build habit of paying tax on regular basis."
They made the observation in the seminar titled "100 years of Income Tax
Law of Bangladesh - Expectations and Achievements" organized by International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) at a city hotel on Saturday.
"Paying tax is mandatory for running the state in better ways and we all should come forward in this affair," said Planning Minister M A Mannan, adding the owner of the state is people and the assistance should come from them in solving fiscal-related problems.
He further said a wide range of discussion in reforming outdated tax laws is timely demand and the discussion should not be stopped in taking the state ahead.
If revenue earnings are not increased as expected level, the people's expectations will not come true, the minister said.
"With a view to increasing tax payers, the wall between NBR and the tax payers should be destroyed," he opined.
The minister also said tax exemption practice should be abolished right now for greater interest of the country.
The people have to assist the government through paying tax aiming to ensure life standard as well as to see huge infrastructure development like multi-purpose Padma Bridge, he added.
Legal economist and Adviser to Bangladesh Competition Commission M Siddiqui said that Bangladesh is still practicing injustice in tax affairs as the Tax collection method is yet to be improved.
Increasing tax- GDP ratio is impossible in absence of dynamism in tax law, he added.
Former NBR Chairman Dr Muhammad Abdul Majid said the economy will see no discrimination if prudential tax law is introduced. IBFB president Humayun Rashid, former Advisor of Caretaker Government A F Hassan Ariff and Chartered Accountant Snehasish Barua, among others, spoke at the event.
