Economic Reporter :
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port for ensuring that all foreign workers and employees pay income tax before leaving the country.
“Initially, we have introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port to stop tax evasion by foreigners, which will be introduced in all checkout points at the land ports in phases”, NBR member Md Abdur Razzak (income tax) told The New Nation on Wednesday.
The cells, set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet and land port at Benapole in Jessore on July 1, would facilitate tax authorities check income tax clearance certificates of the foreign nationals prior to their departure from the country, he said.
“If any foreigner fails to show the certificate, he or she will not be allowed to leave the country,” he said.
Under the Income Tax Ordinance, foreigners have to pay income tax on a portion of their income if they stay and work in the country for 90 days a year.
Over five lakh foreigners are now working at different non-government organisations (NGOs), hotels, restaurants, educational institutions, garments, hospitals and various industries when only 11,000 of them are paying the income tax regularly, NBR sources said.
NBR member Razzak blamed lack of monitoring for such poor realization of income tax from the foreigners, saying, “We have failed to strongly monitor the matter due to shortage of manpower.”
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port for ensuring that all foreign workers and employees pay income tax before leaving the country.
“Initially, we have introduced special income tax cells at three international airports and a land port to stop tax evasion by foreigners, which will be introduced in all checkout points at the land ports in phases”, NBR member Md Abdur Razzak (income tax) told The New Nation on Wednesday.
The cells, set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet and land port at Benapole in Jessore on July 1, would facilitate tax authorities check income tax clearance certificates of the foreign nationals prior to their departure from the country, he said.
“If any foreigner fails to show the certificate, he or she will not be allowed to leave the country,” he said.
Under the Income Tax Ordinance, foreigners have to pay income tax on a portion of their income if they stay and work in the country for 90 days a year.
Over five lakh foreigners are now working at different non-government organisations (NGOs), hotels, restaurants, educational institutions, garments, hospitals and various industries when only 11,000 of them are paying the income tax regularly, NBR sources said.
NBR member Razzak blamed lack of monitoring for such poor realization of income tax from the foreigners, saying, “We have failed to strongly monitor the matter due to shortage of manpower.”
