The government has taken steps to purchase and set up scanning machines at different customs houses to check irregularities for the greater interest of the country.
“We do not want to become a foreign dependent nation . . . We do not want to depend fully for foreign fundings for our development activities,” said National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem on Thursday during a pre-budget meeting between NBR and Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at a Khulna city hotel on Friday.
NBR and KCCI jointly arranged the pre-budget discussion for the fiscal year 2021-2022.
Terming the Bangalees a self-respected nation, he said, "We do not want to be a dependent nation and not to beg from others. Rather we will be a self-reliant nation through boosting revenue collection."
"We are working tirelessly to raise revenue collection to ensure country’s sustainable development led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.
Seeking cooperation to increase tax collection since a large number of businessmen has remained outside tax net, he said, NBR is conducting survey to boost tax collection in cooperation with the local business leaders.
Responding to the demands of KCCI leaders, the NBR chairman said, the corporate tax rate in Bangladesh is not so high compared to the neighboring countries.
He, however, said the government aims to present people-friendly national budget and will provide different facilities for flourishing local industries.
Tax expansion is a big challenge for NBR, he said, adding that the government is working to increase GDP growth through exploring new areas of tax collection.
Earlier, Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) directors proposed to reduce the corporate tax rate in the national budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022.
They said if tax burden on the private organisations is reduced, it will help to increase the enjoyable profit and thus scopes will be created for re-investment. It will also help generating new employment opportunities as well as boosting the GDP growth, they added.
Chaired by KCCI president Kazi Aminul Haque, NBR member (VAT Principle) Md Masud Sadik, member (Tax Principle and ICT) Sayed Golam Kibria and member (Income Tax Principle) Md Alamgir Hossain addressed the meeting as special guests.
NBR high officials, Income Tax Commissioner of Khulna Tax Zone, Commissioner of Mongla Customs House, Khulna divisional commissioner, other leaders of different Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Income tax Lawyers’ Association in different districts of Khulna division, representatives of different organisations, were present on the occasion.