NBR receives Tk 1,900cr in 6 days as tax fair ends today

National Board of Revenue received Tk 1,900 crore in income tax in six days of the weeklong income tax fair across the country.
More than 4.12 lakh taxpayers filed their income tax returns till Sunday, the sixth day of the fair, at the fair venues including the central one set up at Officers’ Club in Dhaka.
The nationwide 9th tax fair that began on November 13 will end today as NBR decided not to extend time for the fair.
According to NBR data, both income tax collection and submission of tax returns rose by 6.04 per cent and 53.15 per cent respectively from that in the same period of the previous year’s fair.
NBR received Tk 1,791 crore in income tax from 2.69 lakh taxpayers in six days of last year’s fair.
The number of people visited the fair in the six days stood at 13.76 lakh against 9.44 lakh in the same period of last year.
On Sunday alone, 69,363 taxpayers deposited Tk 341.30 crore in income tax at the fair while 2.27 lakh people received tax-related services.
On the sixth day of last year’s fair, 57,437 taxpayers filed tax returns and gave Tk 318 crore in income tax.
NBR on Sunday experienced a surge in the number of visitors as it was the penultimate day of the fair.
Officials said that NBR would not extend the deadline though taxpayers from different income groups had demanded an extension.
Tax officials at different booths at the fair venues on Sunday received tax returns even after 5:00pm, the closing time of the fair, as many taxpayers were found standing in long queues.
The fair was held at eight divisional cities, 21 districts and 38 upazilas on Sunday.
They said that tax officials would receive tax returns as long as people would remain at the fair venues today (Monday), the last day of the fair.
NBR took the decision expecting huge rush of taxpayers in the concluding day, they said.