Checking Fake Tin Submission
Service providing agencies to get access to NBR online database
The National Board of Revenue is going to allow some service providing agencies partial access to its online database to crosscheck the authenticity of taxpayer’s identification number submitted by a service seeker with the application for the services, officials of the revenue board said. ‘The revenue board in principle has taken the decision. It is aimed at bringing all probable income taxpayers under the tax net,’ a high NBR official told New Age on Monday.
He said the crosscheck facility would also prevent service seekers from submitting fake TIN certificates where submission of TIN certificates is mandatory.
Under the access facility, service providing agencies will be able to check whether a TIN certificate is valid or not but they (agencies) will not be allowed to see any other information of taxpayers.
According to the article 184A of Income Tax Ordinance-1984, a service receiver has to submit TIN certificate or acknowledgement receipt of income tax return to some service providing authorities including Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, banks, city corporations, gas and electricity connection providing companies, city development agencies and land registration offices.
Many service seekers provide fake TIN certificates as they are unwilling to get TINs from the NBR to dodge tax and service giving agencies have no mechanism to verify the validity of tax-related documents, NBR officials said.
According to the latest statistics of NBR, a total of 10.32 lakh people have obtained online generated TIN or e-TIN from the NBR.
‘The number of taxpayers will be manifold, if everyone submits genuine TIN certificates while receiving services,’ said another official of the NBR.
Under the circumstances, the revenue board has decided to allow the service providing agencies access to its database, he said.
The revenue board will finalise the details of the facility after further discussion, he added.
The agencies will be able to check if a TIN certificate is valid or fake just providing two or three information like TIN number, name and date of birth of an applicant.
According to the income tax ordinance, submission of TIN certificates is mandatory at the time of opening letter of credit for import, obtaining import registration certificate, renewing trade licence in the areas of city corporations, paurashavas and district headquarters, submitting tender documents for the purpose of supply of goods, executing a contract or rendering services, submitting application for membership of clubs registered under the Company Act-1994.
TIN certificate is also required for registration of purchase of land, building or apartment situated within any city corporation (deed value of which exceeds Tk 1 lakh), registration, change of ownership, renewal of fitness of car, jeep or microbus, sanction of loan exceeding Tk 5 lakh to a person by a commercial bank or leasing company, issuance of credit card, issuance of practising licence to doctors, chartered accountants, cost and management accountants, lawyers and income tax practitioners, giving ISD connection to any kind of telephone, registration of a company under Company Act-1984 and for a licence as a Nikah Registrar.
TIN certificates is also required at the time of applying for or renewing membership of any trade body, submitting a plan for construction of building for approval from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha, Chittagong Development Authority, Khulna Development Authority and Rajshahi Development Authority, getting drug licence, applying for connection for gas and electricity for commercial purpose in a city corporation, paurashava or cantonment board, registration, change of ownership, renewal of fitness of bus, truck, lorry and issuance or renewal of survey certificate of a water vessels.
-With New Age input
