The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry has demanded that the National Board of Revenue should amend the existing National Tax Card Policy-2010, claiming that many of the actual and the highest taxpayers were deprived of recognition because of limitations of the policy. FBCCI, the apex trade body of the country, made a proposal for awarding the highest taxpayers dividing them into seven categories like individual, corporate, entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, disabled, senior citizens and service sectors at national level for ensuring proper distribution of the award among the taxpayers.
Many government entities and individuals get the tax card every year just by deducting and paying tax at source which should be discontinued, the federation said in its recommendations recently sent to the NBR.
FBCCI also recommended for bringing some other amendments to the policy including categorising the entrepreneurs into large, medium and small ones and professionals like doctors, lawyers and chartered accountants so that taxpayers from major sectors could get the recognition.
It also suggested considering the taxpayers from Upazilas and municipalities for the award.
The federation has also demanded for raising the number of tax cards at national level to 20 from 10 each for individual and corporate categories.
The revenue board is compelled to award many individuals and companies including government enterprises with tax cards as recognition of paying the highest amount of income tax at national and district levels though they pay the tax at source, FBCCI said in its recommendations signed by its president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed.
The revenue board should recognise the actual taxpayers to encourage others to pay tax voluntarily, he said.
According to NBR officials, in corporate taxpayer category some foreign companies such as Chevron and Tullow, two international oil companies, got tax card in almost every year though they do not pay any tax to the government, rather Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation pays the tax on behalf of them in line with the agreement between the government and the respective companies.
Along with state-owned enterprises, most of the taxpayers, mainly contractors, get the tax card for paying tax mainly at source, they said.
On the other hand, tax at source is a system where taxpayers are bound to pay the tax that does not reflect compliance issue, they said.
An NBR official said that FBCCI had been pressing for amending the tax card policy for quite sometime, addressing these issues.
According to the existing policy, the three highest and two longest income tax payers from each city corporations and districts are given the tax card while the 10 highest personal and 10 highest corporate taxpayers are recognised every year.
They are entitled to enjoy a number of privileges for one year including priority while reserving seats in public transports, public hospitals, access to VIP lounges at the airports and invitation to state functions.
-With New Age input
