Khulna: Khulna Income Tax Zone has successfully collected Taka 3,990.08 crore from 11,11,991 taxpayers in the 2024-25 fiscal year, marking an increase of Taka 423.35 crore from the previous fiscal year.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Khulna Tax Zone had initially set a collection target of Taka 5,510 crore from 22 circles for the 2024-25 fiscal year. In the prior fiscal year of 2023-24, the zone collected Taka 3,566.73 crore from 9,92,552 taxpayers, falling short of the target of Taka 5,000 crore. Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Tax Zone, Delowara Jahan, emphasized the significance of the current growth rate and highlighted various motivational campaigns introduced to expand the tax network.
Jahan noted the substantial increase in the number of taxpayers between fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25, attributing this growth to the comprehensive efforts of the tax authorities. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, a total of 4,09,944 returns were submitted, which is 20,245 more than in the previous fiscal year. She anticipates that the income tax collection may slightly increase, potentially exceeding Taka 4,000 crore, once the final assessment is completed through the Integrated Budget and Accounting System (IBAS).
Addressing the issue of not reaching the target, Jahan mentioned that setting a high target like Taka 5,000 crore or more was not justified. She criticized the previous continuous collection targets, citing various challenges such as political unrest and ongoing global conflicts including the Russia-Ukraine situation, which made it impractical to fix such targets during the previous regime.
In discussions with BSS, income tax experts, including tax lawyers, stressed the urgent need to amend existing rules to prevent TIN-holders who do not regularly pay taxes from obtaining certificates. The current survey has identified significant numbers of non-taxpaying TIN-holders, which experts see as detrimental to the efforts of making the tax collection process more effective.
Previously, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had implemented several initiatives, including ‘Tax Fair’, to increase income tax collection, where officials attempted to collect tax through spot assessments. This effort, experts noted, could have helped reach the collection target. Income Tax officials also mentioned that the NBR had previously honored 77 highest and long-term taxpayers in the Khulna Income Tax zone across five categories.
Delowara Jahan added that the NBR has not yet decided whether to hold a reception for the highest taxpayers in the Khulna zone. She emphasized that the steady increase in income tax collection is due to simplified procedures like e-TIN registration and improved relations between tax officials and taxpayers. She highlighted the significance of the growth rate for the area, which includes the districts of Jashore, Khulna, Magura, Satkhira, Bagerhat, and Jhenidah, home to major industries such as jute mills, shrimp factories, and brick kilns.