Online Desk: Speakers at a discussion on Monday claimed that while the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has implemented automation to boost revenue collection and minimise taxpayer harassment, the harassment of individual taxpayers and traders has not been reduced.

They emphasised sustainable automation with concerned departments and organisations within and outside of the revenue board.

The speakers said this at a discussion meeting titled “Transitioning Tax Compliance to Digital Platform” organised by SMACIT Limited at a hotel in Dhaka’s Gulshan on Monday.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Mahbubul Alam, citing the issue of harassment by tax officials, said traders want to pay tax without any harassment, and for this, there is no alternative to automation.

He also focused on widening the tax net instead of putting more tax on those who are paying taxes and increasing it every year.

“After submitting the tax file, a tax commissioner approved it. After the arrival of the new commissioner, it was reopened on the basis of dual selection. But whose failure is it?” Asked the FBCCI president.

“We want to pay income tax and VAT. But there is no automation of various departments within NBR’s own office,” he also pointed out.

There have also been complaints from traders that the NBR is not refunding or adjusting the advance income tax after deducting it from the taxpayer, Alam said.

Sharing his experience, Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said the VAT return has to be submitted online. Arrangements have been made to go to the office again.

“In other words, although it is digital, the system remains virtually manual. It does not reduce the harassment of traders,” he said.

Mahmudul Hasan Khosru, former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, said, “The purpose of digitization should be so that taxpayers do not have to go to the tax office.”

He said to the revenue board that technology should be brought, but it should not be complicated. It should be implemented step by step.

Shawkat Hossen Masum, head of Online at the daily Prothom Alo, said, “The purpose of NBR will not be fulfilled with half-hearted or meagre digitization. It has to be implemented so that tax officials and taxpayers don’t have to face each other.”

SMACIT Limited Director Snehashish Barua gave details about the new software “Taxdu” the company developed to fill out income tax returns in the digital system.

He said in this system, a taxpayer can fill out income tax returns in just a few minutes and pay the tax amount through mobile financial services like bKash, Nagad, and others.

NBR member Iqbal Hossain referred to the SMACIT Limited initiative as positive and assured that it will be considered whether any kind of assistance can be provided by NBR in this regard.

Director of SMACIT Limited Zareen Mahmud Hosain FCA gave welcome speech in the beginning of the event.

Pathao Chief Executive Officer Fahim Ahmed, Action Aid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir, President of Bangladesh Income Tax Lawyers Association Sohrab Uddin, President of Dhaka Income Tax Lawyers Association BN Dulal, CFO of bikash Moinuddin Mohammed Rahgir, CFO of BRAC Bank Masud Rana, Head of Corporate Affairs of Robi Shahed Alam, CFO of Renetta Limited Mustafa Alim Awlad, among others spoke in the event.