The National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan yesterday said the NBR will consider slashing the minimum tax in the national budget for fiscal 2018-19 (FY19) aiming to bring more people under tax net, reports BSS.

The NBR has no plan to increase the individual tax-free income limit in FY19, but it is considering slashing minimum tax, which is now Tk 5000 in Dhaka and Tk 3000 in outside the capital, he said while speaking at a pre-budget meeting with members of Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF).

ERF president Saiful Islam Dilal proposed increasing the individual tax-free income limit at least by Tk 25,000 to give relief to families with school-going kids.

In response, the NBR chairman said people are getting habituated in paying tax as they are now realising that paying tax is their responsibility.

Noting that if minimum tax is slashed, more people will come under tax net, Bhuiyan said people should realise that the government has been doing a lot of works for their welfare.

ERF general secretary Ziaur Rahman proposed cutting the tax rate for listed companies to bring the non-listed companies to capital market. He also proposed increasing tax on multinational companies to create pressure for bringing them in stock market.

The NBR chairman termed this proposal as a good one and said he will look into the matter.

Bhuiyan said steps will be taken to bring Uber, Pathao and other ride-

sharing companies under tax net from the upcoming fiscal. The NBR is also thinking of bringing private educational institutions under tax net.

HM