Experts opine: Tax anomalies at cattle markets go against Qurbani spirit
Though there is a fixed rate for collecting and paying tax (hasil) after the purchase of sacrificial animals at cattle markets, some leaseholders and cattle buyers resort to trickery to make petty personal gains in contrast to the spirit of Qurbani.
Visiting different cattle markets in the capital city, it was seen that some cattle buyers show the prices of cattle lower than the actual ones while paying tax to minimise the cost, while some leasers allegedly collect extra money than the fixed one.
Many cattle market leaseholders in most districts also charge higher than the fixed rate for lack of adequate monitoring by administration while some buyers engage in haggle by lowering their cattle prices to pay less tax, according reports by UNB district correspondents.
As per the rate fixed by the government in the capital, the leaseholders can charge maximum five percent of the total price of any animal as tax while the district administration set it ranging from Tk 200-500 for cows and buffalos and Tk 75-150 for goats and sheep.
But the leasers are collecting up to Tk 2,000 per cow and buffalo, and Tk 500 per
goat and sheep from the vendors depending on the prices of the sacrificial animals.
As the buyers collect hasil depending on cattle prices, some buyers also show the cattle prices lesser than the actual ones to dodge tax, report UNB correspondents.
Talking to UNB, Mujahidul Islam, a resident of Jatrabari, said he bought a cow from Postagala cattle market at Tk 60,000 and had to pay Tk 3,500 as tax, up Tk 500 from the maximum rate fixed by the government.
Another cattle buyer Jamal Hossain, a private job holder, at Uttar Khan Shahed Nagar Housing cattle market said the leaser collected Tk 4,000 as hasil from him as he purchased a bull at Tk 70,000. As per the government rate, Jamal should have paid maximum Tk 3,500.
Similar allegations were raised by cattle buyers at some other markets like Old Dhaka’s Rahmatganj, Dhupkhola, Shanir Akhra, Shyampur, Uttar Khan Moinar Tek, Bashundhara and Khilkhet.
Asked why they take additional money, Jahangir, a counterman, at Rahmatganj said they usually do not charge additional tax from those who buy big cattle. “We’ve an observation that some people who buy medium-sized cattle mention Tk 10,000-15,000 less than the actual price. So, we charge extra from such buyers.”