A file photo shows the front view of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The National Board of Revenue will initially establish income tax check posts at the country’s three international airports and one land port to identify tax evading foreigners.
The National Board of Revenue will initially establish income tax check posts at the country’s three international airports and one land port to identify tax evading foreigners.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the national steering committee on taxation of foreign nationals working in the country held on Thursday at the revenue board headquarters in Dhaka.
The committee decided to open the income tax units soon at the airports and land port so that no foreigners can leave the country without paying due taxes.
NBR chairman and senior secretary of the Internal Resources Division Md Nojibur Rahman who is also head of the committee presided over the meeting.
According to the decision, the units will be set up at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, Osmani International Airport in Sylhet and in Benapole Land Port.
Gradually, such check posts will be set up at other immigration check points in phases.
Foreigners will have to show their income tax certificates obtained from the tax authorities to get clearance from immigration for departure from the country.
There are wide allegations that most of the foreigners leave the country without paying due taxes due to lack of monitoring.
According to the data of different government agencies, there are several lakh foreigners, mostly from India, Sri Lanka, China and some western countries, who work legally or illegally in the country.
But more or less, 12,000 foreigners work in the country obtaining work permits from the Board of Investment and approval of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone and NGO Affairs Bureau.
The steering committee also decided to incorporate income tax related provisions in the Bangladesh ViSA Policy to provide the foreigners with clear idea about income tax measures, rules and procedures before arrival in Bangladesh, officials said.
Committee members from Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, Immigration of Bangladesh Police, Special Branch of Police, Board of Investment, NGO Affairs Bureau and some other agencies attended the meeting.
Source: New Age
