DHAKA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- In an apparent bid to combat tax evasion and recover unpaid revenues, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh's tax collection body, has directed its field offices to enhance intelligence-gathering operations.
A circular issued Sunday mandates the formation of dedicated Intelligence and Investigation Teams (IITs) within each tax region of the South Asian country.
These teams will investigate cases based on intelligence reports, allegations of evasion, discrepancies in tax documents, suspicious financial entries, or assets that appear disproportionate to declared income.
When an investigation uncovers concrete evidence of tax evasion, the teams must present their findings to the regional Intelligence and Investigation Committee for approval. Once approved, the committee will authorize recovery actions, which may include legal proceedings.
Furthermore, each tax commission rate is required to submit monthly reports by the 10th of the following month, detailing intelligence-driven claims and collections.
The tax collection body has expressed the hope that fortifying the Intelligence and Investigation Cell will not only increase recovered revenues but also act as a deterrent against evasion and cultivate a culture of tax fairness.
The Bangladeshi government in June this year unveiled a 7.90 trillion-taka national budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year starting in July.
The national budget has set a revenue collection target of 5.64 trillion taka, which is equal to nine percent of the country's GDP. (1 U.S. dollar equals nearly 122 taka). ■
