Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has collected double income tax from the Income Tax Fair-2012 compared to that of the previous fiscal.
It has collected BDT 8.39 billion income tax only from the fair over the last one week against BDT 4.14 billion of the last year's fair.
A total of 347,523 people obtained services from the fair against 75,000 of the last year, according to the finally compiled figure on the last day.
The board has received tax returns from 0.1 million taxpayers in the fair against 62,272 taxpayers of the previous year.
From the tax fair this year, the NBR issued Taxpayer's Identification Number (TIN) to 16,402 people. In 2011, a total of 10,000 people took TIN from the fair.
Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the tax fair on the city's Officers' Club premises on Saturday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith appreciated the effort of the taxmen to arrange such a fair for providing tax services.
He expressed his wonder over enthusiasm of taxpayers for payment of tax in the fair as people have to pay to the national exchequer from their own pocket.
"I am feeling proud to see the patriotism of people relating to tax payment. The tax fair has turned into a real fair, like a place of gathering in a pleasant mood," he noted.
He also said at least 5.0 per cent of the total 150 million population could come under tax net with the effort of taxmen.
A total of nine secretaries of the government, including International Resource Division (IRD) secretary and NBR chairman Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed, attended the concluding ceremony.
Secretaries to the banking division, local government, information, power and energy, liberation war, food, youth and sports and public administration attended the program.
The NBR targeted to provide services to 100,000 people but it is pleased that taxmen could provide services to three times more people in the fair.
The tax fair remained open from 10 am to 5:00 pm every day from September 16 to 22 in seven divisions.
BBN/SSR/AD-23Sept12-11:20 am (BST)
