Tk6 Vat comes back as Tk10,000 prize
Vat Commissionerate Chattogram formally handed over the prize check on Thursday
Meher Nigar, an assistant professor of Premier University's Law department, won a prize of Tk10,000 for a Tk6 Vat payment at a restaurant in Chattogram.
The Customs Excise and Vat Commissionerate Chattogram formally handed over the prize check on Thursday - the second day of the two-day Vat fair.
Meher Nigar bought one cold drink for her son at the Redchilli Restaurant in MA Aziz Outer Stadium area of Chattogram city on January 16. She also paid the Vat of Tk6 at the Electronic Fiscal Device (EFD) on the drink, which cost Tk40 at 15% Vat.
A lottery draw was held on February 5 at the National Revenue Board (NBR) on the basis of Vat paid on EFD machines; 101 people were nominated for the award, and The NBR published the winning lottery coupons in print media.
Meher Nigar, a resident of Sholokbahar area under Panchlaish police station, secured fourth place in the Chattogram region.
Vat Commissioner, Md Akbar Hossain, handed over a Tk10,000 check to Meher Nigar at the office of the Vat Commissionerate in Agrabad.
During the event, he said, "Meher Nigar made history by winning this prize in the lottery for the first time in Chattogram. I hope that other consumers will follow her example and be inspired to pay Vat in future." The Vat Commissioner requested consumers to preserve the EFD invoice at the time of purchase and save it for use in the lottery.
He further said, "Vat is currently being collected from 120 EFD machines at various shopping malls and commercial establishments in Chattogram. Arrangements have been made to install 400 more new EFD machines by the third week of this month."
The prize winner Meher Nigar told The Business Standard, "This is definitely a positive initiative of the government. We have always been skeptical about whether our Vat really does end up in the state treasury or not. The EFD machines have satisfied our concerns. I am overwhelmed to win this award for the first time from Chattogram."
The Director of Redchilli Restaurant, Nizamul Haque, said, "The EFD machines have reassured our customers and provided transparency to the Vat collection process."
Senior officials of Customs Excise and VAT Commissionerate were present during the award ceremony.
In a bid to boost Vat collection, Customs Excise and Vat Commissionerate Chattogram organizes a two-day Vat fair every month. For this month, the fair was organised on February 10 and 11 in eight divisional offices of this Vat Commissionerate.