Our Correspondent, Barisal
Some medium and large size shops in the Barisal City Corporation areas have introduced Electronic Cash Registration (ECR) system of late. Md. Abdul Mannan Sardar, Assistant Commissioner, Anwar Hossain, Superintendent of Barisal Divisional Customs, Excise and VAT Office said that in Barisal city already twenty five business institutions have been selected for introducing ECR at primary stage Out of those 25 institutions, ECR machine has been installed and are working at seven institutions within first fortnight and more three would also be joining them within this month, the officials informed.
A series of dialogues between VAT officials and the shop owners concerned been arranged and already nine meetings held in Barisal on the new mandatory requirement of maintaining electronic cash registers.
Publicity campaign has been made through both print and electronic media outlets, about use of ECR, NBR officials said. Abdur Razzak, Vice President of Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said ECR did not cost any extra money for the traders, but it does for the consumers.’ He told that most owners and staffs of the shops in the city were not so well educated and financially competent to operate ECR. The BCCI leader suggested that either the customs department should supply the ECR machines on credit refundable in easy installments or the deadline for introducing ECR should be deferred for six to 12 months. About handling and collecting ECR machine, the customs officials acknowledged that it needs some training as well as monetary ability.
NBR would not supply any ECR machine and business houses of Barisal could collect the machine from ‘South Link Enterprises’ of Khulna at the price range of Tk.29, 000 to Tk.42, 000, according to their ability, they added.
Mentionable ECR system is currently applicable for ten categories including selected hotels, restaurants and fast food shops, sweetmeat shops, furniture sales centers, beauty parlours, all sales outlets in luxurious, metropolitan shopping malls, department stores, general stores, and big and medium wholesale shops and retailers. The National Board of Revenue has made the system compulsory since January 1, 2009 in six city corporation areas in order to stop leakage in and contain tax evasion taking opportunity of the current manual accounting of sales proceeds. The system will be expanded at retail outlets from to the district-level from August 1.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
