Economic Reporter :
The month-long return receiving activities are yet to be gained momentum, despite 12 days have been passed.
There was no rush of income tax payers as most booths were empty, though officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) were in attendance.
The few taxpayers who did come complained that they were finding it hard to fill up the tax returns as there was no help desk to offer assistance in understanding the forms.
This is the second consecutive time the NBR has decided to open the booths instead of organising its customary annual income tax fair to avoid mass gatherings amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The booths will stay open for a month until November 30, the deadline for furnishing income tax returns without penalty.
Income tax returns will be received uninterrupted during office hours in 649 circles under 31 tax regions across the country in November. Officials said the number of taxpayers would increase towards the end of the month.
Taxpayers get a scope to register, and re-register if there are mistakes to correct, for a taxpayer identification number (TIN) electronically from the service booths.
The website of each tax region has the necessary information, including various forms related to income tax, circulars and guidelines, for filing returns.
NBR officials said it was not possible to provide all the fair’s services in the office garage.
“And now we are providing services only with our own manpower. There is no extra manpower,” they said.
The officials said the TIN transfer process was not complicated and taxpayers just needed to better know about it.
An official of the tax zone said 15 to 20 returns were being submitted daily and the rate would increase after November 20.
Those who come last risk making a mistake so it is better to come early, he suggested.
Another official of Tax Zone-6 said they were receiving around 500 returns every day. He said the number of submission would increase at the end of the month. Recently at a press conference, NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said 13 lakh new e-TIN holders were registered in fiscal 2020-21, a 26 per cent year-on-year increase. At present, there are 68 lakh citizens with e-TIN.
“We are confident that we will be able to take the tax net to the desired level,” he said, hoping to launch a comprehensive tax payment service online.
