NBR cells to stop tax evasion by foreigners
BSS
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port for ensuring that all foreign workers and employees pay income tax before leaving the country, reports BSS.
Initially, we have introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port to stop tax evasion by foreigners, which will be introduced in all checkout points at the land ports in phases, NBR member Md Abdur Razzak (income tax) told the news agency.
The cells, set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet and land port at Benapole in Jessore on July 1, would facilitate tax authorities check income tax clearance certificates of the foreign nationals prior to their departure from the country, he said.
If any foreigner fails to show the certificate, he or she will not be allowed to leave the country, he said.
Under the Income Tax Ordinance, foreigners have to pay income tax on a portion of their income if they stay and work in the country for 90 days a year.
Over five lakh foreigners are now working at different non-government organisations (NGOs), hotels, restaurants, educational institutions, garments, hospitals and various industries when only 11,000 of them are paying the income tax regularly, NBR sources said.
NBR member Razzak blamed lack of monitoring for such poor realization of income tax from the foreigners, saying, We have failed to strongly monitor the matter due to shortage of manpower.
To strengthen the monitoring system, we are now sending letters to the organisations, having foreign workers and employees, he said.
In the letters, he said, the NBR has instructed the authorities of the organisations to hand over to their foreign workers the clearance certificates after paying their income tax properly so they could leave the country without any trouble.
To stop income tax dodging by the foreigners, a new section has also been added to the Income Tax Ordinance under which one will be jailed for three months to three years and be panelized Taka five lakh or both if he/she appoints any foreigners without prior permission of the authorities concerned.
