Income tax fair: Chattogram aims to draw 60,000 taxpayers

FT ONLINE

Around 60,000 taxpayers are expected to participate in the weeklong Income Tax Fair 2019 in Chattogram to start from November 14 at the city's GEC Convention Centre.

At a press briefing on Monday morning at the Chattogram Income Tax Office, GM Abul Kalam Kaykobad, convener of the Income Tax Fair 2019, said, "In 2018, a total of 47,129 taxpayers paid income taxes amounting to Tk560.60 crore at the fair. We hope this year the number of taxpayers at the fair will be over 60,000."

The weeklong income tax fair will begin across the country on November 14 aiming to provide taxpayers a hassle-free environment to submit their tax returns and provide them with a one-stop solution to tax-related services.

In Chattogram, there will be 46 booths, including e-TIN (electronic tax identification number) booths, for the taxpayers. There will be separate booths for women, senior citizens, physically challenged people, defence officers, and private service holders. Taxpayers will enjoy e-payment services at the fair.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has been organising the annual fair across the country for the last 10 years in order to raise awareness about the necessity of tax payment for national development and encourage more people to start the practice.

The last date for submission of income tax returns for individual taxpayers is November 30, which has been named as the 'Tax Day'.

In 2018-19, the four tax zones in Chattogram realised Tk11,177 crore from 4,34,000 registered taxpayers.