The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to take various measures to bring more taxpayers under its scanner in the coming fiscal year.

Under the initiative, a trade licence holder having business in any divisional city or any pourashava will have to show his tax identification number (TIN) during the renewal of trade licence.

Operators of water vessels, including launch, steamer, fishing trawler, cargo and coaster and dump-barge, will also need to submit TIN to get survey or fitness certificate from the government agencies.

Also, agents of insurance companies will need to show TIN during registration or renewal.

In addition, the tax administrator looks to issue temporary registration number (TRN) to people who have taxable incomes but are yet to open TIN.

The introduction of the TRN, the first-ever initiative by the revenue body, will help the earners of taxable income get TIN and comply with rules, according to NBR officials.

The tax administrator will issue TRN through its surveys to bring more people within its net.

These steps will take place side by side the tax collector's bid to hunt for more taxpayers through bank accounts.

From the next fiscal year, savers in banks who have no TINs are likely to face 15 percent tax on their interest earnings. But those who have TINs will require to pay 10 percent on their incomes.

"All our efforts are meant for expanding the tax network," said Syed Md Aminul Karim, member in charge of income tax policy of the NBR.

Officials said these initiatives are likely to become effective from the next fiscal year, beginning from next month.

The NBR move comes in the backdrop of growing pressure to accelerate tax to finance the soaring national budget.

Over the past five years, the NBR's tax collection almost tripled to Tk 92,390 crore in the outgoing fiscal year due mainly to a sharp spike in collection of value added tax and income tax.

However, income tax holds the second position after VAT in the NBR's total tax receipts.

Currently, 35 lakh people hold TINs. But only 11.5 lakh TIN holders pay taxes, said NBR member Karim.

He hoped that around one crore TIN holders will come within the NBR network through these new measures in the next two years and thus will allow the revenue administrator to ensure compliance by more taxpayers.

He said the NBR has expanded its reach and increased its manpower to ensure better compliance by the taxpayers.

"We have opened offices in 85 upazilas to reach the doorstep of the taxpayers," said Karim.

Works for automation of the revenue body are also going on to ease the hassles of the taxpayers in getting TIN and submitting tax returns, he said.

By December, one can get TIN online, said Karim, adding that people will also be able to submit tax returns via internet within 2013.

The Daily Star/Bangladesh/ 24th June 2012