Expanding tax net: NBR to use power consumption data

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) will bring flat owners and shopkeepers under the tax net using electricity consumption data from Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC).

“Most of these people have not submitted their returns yet, though they are capable of paying income tax,” NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said on Thursday at a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony.

The MoU was signed between the NBR and DPDC to exchange power consumption data.

Muneem said, “During revenue officials’ visits, flat residents told them they are not actual owners of the places. That is why the taxmen could not bring them under the tax net.”

“Now we can reach them by getting utility consumption information from DPDC because only house owners can get electricity connection,” he added.

The revenue boss said they previously teamed up with Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to bring car and bus owners under the tax net. He also said the NBR was trying to work with other government bodies to expand the tax net.

NBR’s Tax Information management and Services Wing Member Mohammad Jahid Hasan said teaming up with DPDC had helped increase the number of taxpayers by around 2.5 lakh instantly.

He said DPDC currently has 10.21 lakh customers and only 3.65 lakh of them have the tax identification number (TIN).