Business Live: A week-long Income Tax Fair-2019 began here today with the main thrust of inspiring the taxpayers in paying income tax spontaneously coupled with boosting the number of new more taxpayers.

Commissioner’s Office of Rajshahi Tax Zone organized the fair at its office premises here amidst huge turnouts of taxpayers.

NBR Member Jamal Hossain accompanied by Commissioner of Income Taxes Dr Khandakar Ferdous Alam, Customs, Excise and VAT Commissioner Lutfor Rahman, Tax Appellate Commissioner Md Masud and Joint Commissioner Ashique Rana opened the fair by cutting ribbon and releasing pigeons in the morning.

Some 20 stalls of the fair will remain open from 10 am to 5 pm everyday till November 20. New taxpayers will be able to collect their tax identification numbers (TINs) while the existing TIN holders will be able to submit their income tax returns at the fair.

Income Tax officials will remain present at the fair to provide advice and suggestions on income tax, TIN certificates and assist the tax payers in filling out the Income Tax Return forms. Janata, Sonali and BASIC banks have set up booths to help the taxpayers in paying their income taxes on the spot.

Talking to BSS here today Income Tax Commissioner Dr Ferdous Alam gave an overview of the fair saying the taxpayers would get enormously benefited by attending the fair. He said Rajshahi zone has realized income taxes worth around Taka 741 crore in last 2018-19 fiscal year up by Taka 67.51 crore than the previous fiscal.

Number of taxpayers has been stood to 2,29,726 in last financial year up by 15,589 than that of the previous fiscal.

Income taxes of over Taka 15.53 crore were collected in last year’s week- long tax fair. Around 66,136 taxpayers received services and 1,20,329 taxpayers submitted their returns while the number of e-TIN receivers was 875 in the fair. The fair creates enthusiasm among the public about the tax payment and return submission.

Dr Alam said the tax fair is also being held in eight other venues under the zone consisting with the districts of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Natore and Pabna simultaneously.

Dhaka 14 November (campuslive24.com)//AMI