NBR moves to track inefficient tax officials
Star Reporter :
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is planning to introduce a tracking system for its staff to identify inefficient and errant officials, aiming to streamline revenue collection and boost government funds.
The revenue authority has undertaken this initiative to prevent unnecessary harassment of taxpayers under the guise of tax payments.
“This will also help reduce instances of lower tax imposition,” a senior NBR official told the media on condition of anonymity.
He explained that the introduction of this system would enhance the judicious capacity and efficiency of NBR officials.
“At times, certain individuals are not competent officers; they fail to apply their discretion appropriately. Currently, we have no mechanism to track such incidents,” he said.
The official further stated that the NBR currently lacks the ability to monitor which officials are failing to apply their discretion correctly in case assessments.
“We cannot assess the quality of our officials’ evaluations at the click of a button. We are working towards implementing this tracking system to address this issue,” he added.
He emphasised that for this system to function effectively, all NBR operations must be digitised so that all activities are recorded automatically.
Taking lower taxes to favour a particular taxpayer or imposing excessive taxes on another are both unjust and punishable offences, he said.
“Our tax officials must understand this. Unfortunately, the NBR has never identified or addressed these issues. From now on, we will identify such matters and take appropriate action,” he stated.
Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan has recently hinted at the introduction of this tracking system on several occasions, including pre-budget meetings.
“We will monitor records as we move towards implementing the tracking system for NBR officials,” the chairman said at a recent pre-budget meeting.
Muhammad Abdul Mazid, a member of the Advisory Committee formed last October to propose reforms in the NBR, welcomed the initiative. However, he noted that an evaluation system for public servants has always existed and is not a new concept.
In this context, he referred to the Tax Ombudsman system, which was abolished during the previous Awami League government.
“It is the inherent duty of the authority to ensure that officers are performing their duties properly, which is usually reflected during promotion procedures,” he said.
Mazid, who also serves as chairman of the Social Development Foundation (SDF), stressed the need for an independent body to oversee evaluations.
He acknowledged that a digital system would facilitate easier access to data.
“In our first reform proposal, we also stated that the NBR should be held accountable,” he said, adding that the system should be both enforceable and impartial.