NBR Chairman warns corrupt revenue officials

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Thursday urged revenue officials to be more empathetic toward businesspeople to accelerate economic growth.

"If we are not empathetic toward businesspeople, the country's economy will not thrive. I urge revenue officials to understand this reality," he said.

He made these remarks during a pre-budget meeting with business associations at the NBR conference room.

NBR Chairman emphasized the need to address both under-taxation and excessive taxation, calling them unjust practices that require immediate attention.

“We have long ignored these issues and failed to take corrective action. That will no longer be the case—we are now identifying such discrepancies and will act accordingly,” he stated.

Assuring a business-friendly approach, he mentioned that the upcoming FY 2025-26 budget will offer reasonable benefits while expanding the tax base to enhance revenue collection.

Highlighting tax compliance concerns, he noted that while 1.13 crore individuals hold Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs), only 41 lakh have submitted tax returns. “We are actively monitoring tax evasion, working to minimize harassment, and closely tracking non-compliant taxpayers,” he added.

Highlighting the growing business activities in upazila and district-level economic hubs, the NBR Chairman stressed that many remain outside the tax net.

“Income tax offices are already operational, and VAT commissionerates will soon follow. Field officials will visit these centres for registration, assessments, and payments—all through an online system. We seek the cooperation of business associations in this initiative,” he stated.

Addressing allegations of corruption at Chattogram Customs House, he ordered strict action against those involved. “If anyone is caught red-handed, we will simply say, ‘Thank you for your service,’ and remove them,” he warned.

He also revealed that NBR has recently revoked multiple Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) on tax exemptions and confirmed that exemption SROs expiring in June 2025 will not be renewed.