Make the National Board of Revenue (NBR) a color blind organization
Tying criminal code with tax code is problematic. However well intentioned those rules are, they usually do not serve the purpose, those usually backfire.
To quote from the following Financial Express news item - "He (the finance adviser) said the government will allow disclosure of all legally earned untaxed income under the existing law provided owners of the same are not facing any criminal charge."
The question that we want to ask is this: If someone is facing criminal charge, can she or he still have legally earned untaxed income? Yes, it is possible that this person have some untaxed income that was legally earned, but not previously declared. If that is the case, then, why would the law that the finance adviser talks about would not be deemed against the basic premise fairness and equality in legal rights?
I know what some of you or even the finance adviser may opine. "Eto kisu kore tu para jabe na" or "Criminal der abar constitutional right ki?" But these type of opinion is not helpful if we are really interested about developing a system that works, rather than being an ideal system. May be we can punish people with that attitude, but in the long run those kinds of law wouldn't pass the test of time. They also do not serve the purpose of building a better future.
One thing that our policy makers and the government agencies do not understand is that being in the position of responsibility - being a part of the government is one of the most difficult thing. If you want to ban something (such as block certain citizens from certain rights under the law), you have to be able to prove those allegations beyond doubt. If you can not ascertain an income as illegal beyond doubt, you have to consider it as legal (even if it might be the case!). Off course, it is also the responsibility of the government to keep investigating so that any illegal things are found. Until and unless that can be done, you have to learn to "let things to go".
Bottomline: Law enforcement have to start with a presumption that a citizen is always innocent until it is proven otherwise in the court of law and his or her assets are all legal until it is proven in the court otherwise. Doing one thing wrong does not prove that the person has done other things wrong. Each of the cases has to be proven separately and the person himself or herself has to be dealt with fairness and respect.
In doing that the authorities will have to let many things go untouched. But if you can catch few percent beyond doubt, that should be your starting point. Build capacity within the system that increases the initial success rate (the small percent) over the years. That way success might be slow, but it will be sure and stable. More importantly, it will not effect the economy adversely or the adverse effect will be much less than positive impact of the activities which wasn't the case during last few months.
A first important step in achieving that economic stability and confidence, NBR has to be made a blind organization. Let other agencies deal with criminal matters, not the NBR. Essentially, NBR is selling a product which is government service. This is a promise of future government service that NBR sells to the citizens - a promise to treat the people with respect and give every possible protection that the citizens needs from the State. Selling of that promise can not be successful unless NBR itself becomes more respectful to the individual rights of the citizens, no matter what kind.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columinsts in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
Thanks for your time,
Innovation Line
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Note: This is a freelance column, published mainly in different internet based forums. This column is open for contribution by the members of new generation, sometimes referred to as Gen 71. If you identify yourself as someone from that age-group and want to contribute to this column, please feel free to contact. Thanks to the group moderator for publishing the article.
Dear readers, also, if you thought the article was important enough so it should come under attention of the head of the government please forward the message to them. Email address for the Chief Advisor: feeedback@pmo.gov.bd_ or at http://www.cao.gov.bd/feedback/comments.php . The more of you forward it to them, the less will be the need to go back to street agitation. Use ICT to practice democracy. It is already proven that this government responds to the feedback.
You can also send it to Bangladesh Bank at this email: gm2combb@bangla.net_
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Link:
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=30706
Penal tax on legalisation of undisclosed income likely to be rationalized
FE Report
The government is planning to reduce the large gap between the highest and the lowest rates of penal tax levied at the time of legalisation of untaxed income, said Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam Sunday.
The lowest rate of penal tax is now 10 per cent and the highest 250 per cent for a taxpayer wanting to legalise his or her lawfully earned undisclosed income.
"Taxmen want to fix the penal rate at higher level while the taxpayers want the same at the lowest level. We are exploring ways to minimise the gap," Islam said in a pre-budget meeting with the editors of print and electronic media held at the conference room of the National Board of Revenue(NBR).
He said the government will allow disclosure of all legally earned untaxed income under the existing law provided owners of the same are not facing any criminal charge.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) arranged the pre-budget meeting which was presided over by its chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid.
Prior to the exchange of views on the budget for the next fiscal, the Finance Adviser unveiled the Annual Report-2006-07 of NBR and a few recent NBR publications prepared to motivate the eligible taxpayers to pay tax in large numbers.
On continuation of the tax holiday facility, Islam said the volume of investment against the tax holiday facility was not that high in the past few years.
"We are exploring various options relating to tax holiday. The facility may be continued for next couple of years or it may be revised"," Islam said.
The Finance Adviser said the government would reduce the discretionary power of the taxmen further in the next fiscal budget.
"We have already curtailed some discretionary power of the taxmen in the budget for the current fiscal and it will be further reduced in the next budget," he said.
Editors taking part in the discussion said that the government must simplify further the tax payment procedures and ensure that taxpayers are not harassed by the tax officials.
Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Editor of the Manabjamin said tax payment system should be more simplified to encourage taxpayers to come under tax net.
Mr Bahauddin, Editor of the Inquilab suggested the NBR to use the services of religious leaders in motivating the people to pay tax.
Deputy Editor of The Financial Express Shamsul Huq Zahid said it is widely believed that the 'fear factor' played an important role in higher collection of income tax during the current fiscal year. He wanted to know whether the same factor would contribute to higher revenue earning under an elected government in the next fiscal.
Faridur Reza Sagar of Channel I said: "The government could raise awareness among the taxpayers through sending SMS."
Shaymal Dutta, Editor of the Bhorer Kagoj said the NBR should adopt a professional approach in its campaign to motivate the taxpayers.
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Annisul Huq said the business associations could help the board raise number of TIN holders by 25 per cent if a conducive environment could be ensured at the field level tax offices.
Mr. Alamgir Mohiuddin, Editor of the Naya Diganta also spoke on the occasion.
The NBR held a series of meetings in the past few days with 22 business associations and received a number of recommendations from the latter.
The NBR chairman said the board would hold a pre-budget meeting on April 24 with the FBCCI to finalise the recommendations. __._,_.___
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