NBR seeks additional budgetary support to enhance capacity
NBR sought the support during a meet with the finance minister today.
To achieve a higher tax-to-GDP ratio, a priority area for the government, the National Board of Revenue has sought budgetary support from the finance ministry to enhance its capacity through new recruitment and completing the digitisation process.
On Sunday, a group of NBR high officials, led by its Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, met with Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali at the Secretariat.
An NBR senior officer, who was also present at the meeting, told The Business Standard, "The NBR sought the finance minister's support to enhance its capacity for increased revenue mobilisation."
He said, "The NBR sought help from the finance ministry for the quick and effective start of its ongoing digitisation process."
Another source from the meeting told TBS, "Actually, the new finance minister wanted to know how NBR's wings work, and the NBR chairman presented its working process."
On 26 January, at a seminar, the NBR chairman raised the issue on the occasion of Customs Day, saying, "Investment for the revenue that NBR collects is very low."
Addressing the finance secretary present at the event, he added, "Budgetary support needs to be increased to enhance the capacity of the NBR."
According to the revenue board, the cost for NBR to mobilise Tk100 as revenue is about Tk0.31, which is one of the lowest in the world.