Stop harassing regular VAT payers: FBCCI

Staff Reporter :
The officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been urged not to harass the regular taxpayers as it is not conducive to stable business.
The FBCCI President Md Jasim Uddin made the call while speaking at an award giving ceremony of highest VAT payers organized by NBR marking the ‘National VAT Day’ at a city hotel on Saturday.
Reducing pressure on regular taxpayers, Jasim suggested expanding the VAT net in order to increase in revenue earnings.
“It is important to identify new sector and bring them under VAT net without harassing those who pay it regularly. This will reduce indiscrimination among businesses,” the FBCCI president said.
“Allegations of harassment and intimidations against the field level officials by issuing notices are not conducive to stable business,” he added.
“The backward linkage industries should be prioritized for implementing ‘Made in Bangladesh’. Along with this, the automation must be emphasized,” the FBCCI president said.
He further said, “A handsome amount of revenue come from source tax but it is not subsequently adjusted. NBR should consider this matter.”
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised Bangladesh’s “outstanding achievement” during its visit to Dhaka in late October.
Addressing taxpayers’ role in the economy, he said, “The country came to this position because of the contribution the taxpayers kept.”
Calling upon people to pay tax, the minister said, “If you don’t pay taxes it is not possible to work for the backward people.”
The minister also sought suggestions from businessmen in regard to digitising the VAT collection system.
In the key note paper, NBR Member Zakia Sultana said the country’s revenue earnings have comparatively been reduced due to the international trade duty.
“It is apprehended that the revenue earnings will fall further in future due to the liberalization of international trade. So, we have no scope to depend on customs duty for increasing revenue collection. In this case, we have to emphasize on VAT and income tax,” she added.
Some nine companies that paid the highest VAT in the production, business and service sectors at the national level have been
given awards and certificates in the ceremony.
The highest VAT payers from the production sector are Olympic Industries Limited (Kanchpur, Narayanganj), IBN SINA Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd (Shafipur, Gazipur) and SMC Enterprise Limited (Banani, Dhaka).
In the business category, Walton Plaza (Chandna, Gazipur), Agora Ltd (formerly Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd) (Mohakhali, Dhaka), and Unimart Ltd (Gulshan, Dhaka) have become the top VAT-payers for the year.
bKash Limited (Jahangir Gate, Dhaka Cantonment), International Finance Investment and Commerce Bank Limited (Purana Paltan, Dhaka), and Nagad Ltd (formerly Third Wave Technologies Ltd) (Banani, Dhaka) will get the award in the service category.
NBR Chairman Abu Hena Rahmatul Muneem presided over the event.