http://www.bssnews.net/?genID=BSS-01-2008-05-10&id=255
Tax collection exceeds target due to pragmatic steps
DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 10 (BSS) – The revenue collection has increased by 74.11 per cent in northern tax zone exceeding the target during the nine months of the current fiscal following some pragmatic measures of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The collection of the revenue was recorded at Taka 911 crore till March this year that exceeded the target of Taka 856 crore during the current fiscal year 2007-08.
A revenue friendly atmosphere created by the government and the recent NBR measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the administration helped the revenue officials to attain this impressive performance.
Talking to BSS Md Enayet Hossain, Commissioner of Dhaka (north) Tax zone said he expect at least Taka 200 to 250 crore additional tax might be realized during the fiscal as more progressive steps have already been taken to increase the tax collection in the region.
“Once this growth was out of imagine. Now situation has changed and our friendly approach is being welcomed by the tax payers”, Hossain said adding the other tax zones also experienced impressive growth in tax collection during the period.
The northern tax zone includes Gazipur, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Tangail, Jamalpur, Manikganj, Kishorganj, Sherpur and northern part of Dhaka districts. In this zone, the total revenue collection was recorded at Taka 723 crore during the last fiscal.
“Our officials are now more sincere to their duties under the dynamic guidelines of Nation Board of Revenue (NBR) which helped us to realise additional revenue this year and exceed the target”, said Enayet Hossain.
The main responsibility of NBR is to mobilize domestic resources through collection of import duties and taxes, VAT and income tax for the government. Side by side with collection of taxes, facilitation of international trade through quick clearance of import and export cargoes has also emerged as a key role of NBR.
Enayet Hossain said the NBR is chalking out some plans to realize tax from banks through money card which will help us to raise more taxes shortly.
“If tax payers can pay their taxes through their money cards, then the amount of tax realization might be double. Because it will reduce hassles, time and many other problems relating to tax payments’, he said.
Bangladesh, tax revenue constitutes a major portion of the total internal resource. Tax revenue comprises of Income tax, customs duty, value added tax (VAT), excise duty, supplementary duty (SD), infrastructure development surcharge (IDSC), and travel tax.
