People's demand higher than revenue income, says Muhith

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday said the countrymen's demand is more than the revenue income of the government.

This the high time to change this attitude of people, he said, adding that number of taxpayers has increased from 14 lakh to near 30 lakh.

The minister came up with this remark while addressing a seminar held in the city organised by National Board of Revenue (NBR) to mark the National Vat Day and Vat Week-2017.

BSS adds: National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Nojibur Rahman presided over the ceremony while industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the finance ministry Abdur Razzak and president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin attended it.

The NBR has organized the 'National VAT Day-2017' and 'National VAT Week-2017' with the slogan 'VAT Dichhe Janogan, Desher Hochhe Unnayan' to encourage people to pay Value Added Tax (VAT).

NBR member (Duty and VAT Administration) Md Rezaul Hasan presented key-note paper.

Muhith said the young people think that they must do something for the development of the country and so they are paying tax to help the government carry out its development programmes, he said, adding that the young people are also playing leadership role in building digital Bangladesh.

"So, it is our young people who will take the country ahead in future," the finance minister added.

Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu urged the countrymen to pay tax to expedite the implementation of development projects. The government spends its earnings for the welfare of the people of the country and the people's expenditures are the earnings of the government, he added.

"Development will take place if people pay VAT because the government implements development programmes with the money of the people," he said.

Amu said there is lack of enthusiasm even among the people having capacity to pay tax as the number of e-TIN holders in the country is only 33 lakh out of the country 16 crore people. Of these 33 lakh e-TIN holders, only 18.5 lakh submit returns regularly, he added.

"We must come out from such negative tendency," he said.

At the programme, nine establishments were given 'VAT Honor Card' at national level and 27 organizations received the VAT Honor Card in greater Dhaka division for paying highest VAT for fiscal year 2015-16.

Besides, the NBR also gave the honor card to 140 organizations at district level.


RU/GY/AIMD