Govt urges tax lawyers to help fight evasion

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday urged tax lawyers to assist the government in strengthening revenue collection by helping prevent the concealment of taxpayers' income and wealth.

"Represent your clients as a bridge, not a barrier. Please don't keep the government in the dark. Help us," he said while inaugurating the tax representative management system software at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) headquarters in Dhaka.

Ahmed highlighted a growing tendency for tax evasion through the underreporting of actual income and wealth when filing returns.

According to the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh lost an estimated Tk 226,236 crore in tax revenue in the 2022-23 fiscal year due to evasion and avoidance.

Calling the launch of the software a milestone, the adviser emphasised that tax lawyers play a central role in building the nation's economic infrastructure.

"This software will ease tax filing for individuals, businesses, and government officials alike. It's not just a technological upgrade; it's a shift in mindset," he said.

Speaking about the shortcomings of the existing system, Ahmed pointed to excessive paperwork, lengthy delays, and a lack of recognition for revenue officers. While acknowledging that revenue officials perform thankless work, he noted that taxpayers often complain of harassment.

Criticising a culture of unnecessary bureaucracy, the adviser urged service providers to respect people's time and act with greater professionalism. "If you keep telling a client to 'come today, come tomorrow- that's harassment."

Ahmed also recalled a former government official telling him, "To get a telephone line, I had to give a bribe."

Ahmed urged tax officers to move away from this system for the sake of ordinary people. "Please try. When people receive good service, they're willing to pay for it. They won't be stingy."

Also speaking at the event, NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan said the rush will now decrease, and returns can be submitted from home.

He also stated that from next year, submitting corporate tax returns online will be made mandatory.

"Now, no one will be able to claim that there was a mistake in the online submission of information, as the system itself will generate the calculations.

"Through this, auditing or review processes can also be carried out automatically."