Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has called upon all to pay taxes for the development of the country.
He said that all the wealthy people should be taxed as they have a responsibility towards the development of the country.
The Finance Minister made the remarks as chief guest at a programme of crests and certificates handing over to the best taxpayers organised by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Wednesday.
The NBR on Wednesday honoured the best 141 taxpayers in the 2020-21 tax year at the Officers Club in the capital.
Kamal said, "It's not a crime to make money doing business, but we all have responsibilities."
In order to do something for the development of the country, tax should be paid for the betterment of those who need care, he mentioned.
Calling on the rich to pay taxes, Mustafa Kemal said, "They have many neighbours who need to be taken care of. The government invests tax money that you are paying in the development of the country."
The finance minister also highlighted the development of the country in the last one decade.
He said that in the last 10 years, 7.4 percent GDP had been achieved.
The country has surpassed India in per capita income, he said adding that, Bangladesh is above all in terms of economy.
The Finance Minister called upon all to help continue this trend of development by paying taxes.
The collection of taxes and revenue is increasing in the country, he said adding that, the collection of income tax in the financial year 2005-2006 was only Tk 7,000 crore.
"At present it has increased 12 times to about Tk 85 crore. In the financial year 2005-06, the total revenue collection was only Tk 34 crore. At present, it has increased seven and a half times to Tk 259,000 crore.
This achievement has been possible because of you, he mentioned.
Addressing the people, he said, "On this day, the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of the father of the nation, let us pay taxes to the development of the country from our respective positions. I believe the coming days will be golden days," he mentioned.
