Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Hon’ble Adviser on Economic Affairs to the Prime Minister was present as the Chief Guest,
while Mr. M K Anwar, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, and Professor Md. Ali Ashraf, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, were present as Special Guests, while Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed, Chairman, National Board of Revenue (NBR) was a Guest Speaker. Mr. Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury, President, IBFB and former Mayor, Chittagong City Corporation, chaired the session.
In his speech, Dr. Mashiur rahman said that there is no doubt that there are too many complexities in the Income Tax Laws, but that should not be a cause for despair and for not paying one’s taxes. According to him, it is important that all should pay their taxes in a responsible manner, while transparency and accountability of Tax Officials must be ensured. He also hinted that steps will be taken to simplify Income Tax laws.
Mr. M K Anwar, Hon’ble MP and a former minister, said that if ordinary citizens are unable to comprehend how to pay their taxes, they will not be motivated to do so. If the Government does not receive enough taxes, then it will not be possible to develop infrastructure in the country. He also thanked IBFB for conducting this Discussion Session on the Complexities in the Income Tax Laws.
In his speech, Professor Md. Ali Ashraf regretted the fact that those who earn more and are supposed to pay more taxes do not actually do so, but rather, they try to evade their taxes as much as possible. He felt that there should be thorough discussions in the Parliament on how to simplify Income Tax Laws, and in this case, the Members of Parliament can play a vital role. He also emphasized that the development partners are providing funds for development of the country, but thanks to rampant corruption, this is not always possible.
Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed , in his speech, said that the Income Tax laws have become so complicated that even he has difficulty comprehending them. He notified everyone that the NBR has already started some activities on simplifying Income Tax laws, and that many of the activities of the NBR will soon become digitalized. He hoped for everyone’s cooperation in this regard.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury said that the research conducted by IBFB was done in an unbiased manner due to the relevant importance of the topic. He also hoped that the findings from this research will help the government in determining the right policies and ensuring accountability and transparency in this sector. He also recommended forming a parliamentary caucus with the assistance of the members of parliament, to resolve these problems, along with other business related issues.
