Return submission by NID holders should be mandatory: Momen

Every national identity cardholders should submit their tax returns to increase the number of taxpayers, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said on Saturday.

The minister made the remark at a commemorative meeting on former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith saying that during Muhith’s tenure as finance minister, he had taken a move to make tax return submission mandatory for all NID cardholders.

Despite Muhith’s intention to implement this policy, bureaucratic challenges prevented its implementation, said Momen, the younger brother of Muhith.

The Economic Reporters’ Forum organised the event titled “Remembering Abul Maal Abdul Muhith” at its auditorium.

Momen also highlighted Muhith’s role in identifying foreign nationals who contributed to Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971.

Fazle Kabir, former governor of the Bangladesh Bank, at the event praised Muhith as a great economist with versatile and robust intellectual abilities. Kabir also recounted the incident when the World Bank withdrew $1.0 billion intended for the construction of the Padma Bridge. Muhith took the initiative to clarify that the bridge would be constructed using domestic financing. Kabir, who was also the then finance secretary, recalled how Muhith handled the cyber heist incident in which a group of hackers stole $81.0 million.

Mahbub Ahmed, a former senior finance secretary, mentioned that Muhith unofficially suggested him to negotiate the long-pending Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement with the USA. It eventually led to the signing of the TICFA between Bangladesh and the USA.