The revenue authorities will start a month-long programme today (Nov 1) to facilitate individual taxpayers to submit their income tax returns at tax offices as the annual tax fair will not be held this time to avoid mass gatherings amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tax commissioners would provide services to the taxpayers to receive income tax returns from November 1 to 30 amid festive atmosphere in the regions, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) official said.
The authority took the decision in a meeting on October 7 regarding facilitating submission of tax returns for the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22). The idea of holding a tax fair was to motivate people for paying taxes and increasing the country's tax-GDP ratio.
The NBR had been organizing tax fairs in November every year since 2010 to 2019. In the meantime, tax fairs have become quite popular among the ordinary taxpayers. However, the fair was not held last year considering Covid-19.
The NBR said it would create festive environment in all field offices of taxes from November 1 to November 30, so that taxpayers could furnish returns easily.
As part of the programmes, the tax offices will provide a number of facilities so that taxpayers could file tax returns in a hassle-free atmosphere throughout November.
Each tax region will update its own website information. The website will contain various forms related to income tax, circulars, return filing guidelines, video tutorials and other necessary information.
Tax regions will continue to campaign under their own management. It will run digital campaigns along with other mediums.
The NBR will accept the return submission at 649 circles in 31 tax zones across Bangladesh during office hours in November. The taxpayers will receive an instant acknowledgement of their tax submission.
Tax information service will be provided in the first two weeks of November by setting up a Return Receipt Booth and Help Desk at the Officers’ Club for the government officers and employees of the Secretariat and Officers Club under the management of Tax Zone-4.
To ease the return submission process for the government officials, the NBR will open a ‘return submission booth’ and a help desk at the Secretariat and Officers’ Club from Nov 1 to 14, said NBR.
Alongside, for the members of the Armed Forces, in consultation with the Armed Forces Department, separate booths at Sena Malancha in Dhaka Cantonment on Nov 9-10 will also be set up for their members.
The commissioners of all the tax regions will take necessary steps considering the situation of their respective tax regions. They will take action following government guidelines on health care.
Outside Dhaka, in four tax areas of Chittagong, centrally and all other tax zones will give the award to the best taxpayer based on district and city corporation through proper formalities under their own management.
The NBR has received 2.4 million tax returns from individual taxpayers last year. At present, the number of electronic taxpayers' identification number (TIN) holders is nearly 6.5 million, as per NBR data.
Bangladesh will observe National Income Tax Day 2021 on Nov 30 and at this time, a seminar will be held centrally at the National Board of Revenue, according to NBR.