Number of taxpayers must rise

Thus, it is only expected that NBR must be proactive in its tasks from the urban areas down to the rural areas. There is no alternative to increasing the number of taxpayers for the economic progress of the country

It is worrying to note that number of taxpayers is not increasing in the country despite rise in its per capita income. A report on this appeared in a daily newspaper recently. Per capita income of  people has increased by 130 dollars. According to the World Bank, Bangladesh has attained the status of a  lower middle income country. This elevation of the country’s status is gratifying. But why then number of taxpayers is not increasing ?
There is no denying the fact that  capacity for paying income tax has grown in the country in recent times. But it is not up to the expectations. Construction of residential and commercial buildings in increasing numbers in the metropolis and at the district towns, plying of flashy cars on roads, rise in number of students at private universities, rush at expensive private hospitals for medical care, speak volumes of the affluence of people. But why their  apathy for payment of income tax ?  According to the NBR (National Board of Revenue), there are more than 600 income tax offices in the country. The number of TIN (tax identification number) holders is 18 lakh. But in the 2014-15 fiscal year only 10,40,000 persons submitted their income tax returns. In the previous year also nearly  the same number of people submitted the same. The number of TIN holders is  obviously too small for a country with a population of over 16 crores with a fast growing economy. It indicates that a huge number of people are dodging tax.
Government realizes taxes from people for resource mobilization for running the administration and for carrying out development activities.  A conscious person should pay income tax voluntarily for the welfare of the state as he/she enjoys all the facilities offered by the state. It is a two-way traffic.          
It is the responsibility of the  NBR to bring people under the tax net. But it appears to be  not succeeding so much in identifying more potential taxpayers. If people eligible for paying income tax paid the same it would have contributed to the development of the state by  moblising more revenues for expenditure under different developmental heads. Increasing number of people in the country are capable of paying income tax but NBR cannot reach them. Thus, it is only expected that NBR must be proactive in its tasks from the urban areas down to the rural areas.  There is no alternative to increasing the number of taxpayers for the economic progress of the country. 

Number of taxpayers must rise

Thus, it is only expected that NBR must be proactive in its tasks from the urban areas down to the rural areas. There is no alternative to increasing the number of taxpayers for the economic progress of the country

It is worrying to note that number of taxpayers is not increasing in the country despite rise in its per capita income. A report on this appeared in a daily newspaper recently. Per capita income of people has increased by 130 dollars. According to the World Bank, Bangladesh has attained the status of a lower middle income country. This elevation of the countrys status is gratifying. But why then number of taxpayers is not increasing ? There is no denying the fact that capacity for paying income tax has grown in the country in recent times. But it is not up to the expectations. Construction of residential and commercial buildings in increasing numbers in the metropolis and at the district towns, plying of flashy cars on roads, rise in number of students at private universities, rush at expensive private hospitals for medical care, speak volumes of the affluence of people. But why their apathy for payment of income tax ? According to the NBR (National Board of Revenue), there are more than 600 income tax offices in the country. The number of TIN (tax identification number) holders is 18 lakh. But in the 2014-15 fiscal year only 10,40,000 persons submitted their income tax returns. In the previous year also nearly the same number of people submitted the same. The number of TIN holders is obviously too small for a country with a population of over 16 crores with a fast growing economy. It indicates that a huge number of people are dodging tax. Government realizes taxes from people for resource mobilization for running the administration and for carrying out development activities. A conscious person should pay income tax voluntarily for the welfare of the state as he/she enjoys all the facilities offered by the state. It is a two-way traffic. It is the responsibility of the NBR to bring people under the tax net. But it appears to be not succeeding so much in identifying more potential taxpayers. If people eligible for paying income tax paid the same it would have contributed to the development of the state by moblising more revenues for expenditure under different developmental heads. Increasing number of people in the country are capable of paying income tax but NBR cannot reach them. Thus, it is only expected that NBR must be proactive in its tasks from the urban areas down to the rural areas. There is no alternative to increasing the number of taxpayers for the economic progress of the country.