Attention: NBR
I am a law-abiding citizen and I want to pay tax (with 7% additional penalty) on my undisclosed LEGAL INCOME during the last three years.
While in service as a govt servant, I used to submit tax returns regularly. As no tax was imposed for five consecutive years, I stopped submitting tax returns on the advice of my Tax Adviser who informed me that a tax-payer might not submit returns if no tax was imposed for 3 consecutive years. The tax authorities also did not urge me to submit returns.
In 2001 (after retirement) I was re-engaged on contract by the govt. in an autonomous organisation for two years. During those two years I again submitted my returns and the tax imposed on my salary (as a govt. servant) was duly paid by that organisation. After the expiry of my contract, I did not submit any return.
Of late, I have been participating regularly in a private television channel. They regularly deduct income tax on the honorarium paid to me.
I also earn a paltry amount though my contributions to an English daily and my participation in a very small number of BTV programmes. I mainly depend on my pension and the profits accrued (after 10% tax deduction) on my Sanchay Patras bought with pension money (I surrendered half of my pension).
Although more than 95% of my income (after the said tax deductions) is non-taxable, even then I made an attempt to avail the AMNESTY declared by the govt which enables a tax-payer to pay tax on his undisclosed LEGAL INCOME together with a 7% penalty (The Daily Star, 27 July). But I was shocked and surprised when I contacted the tax people to pay tax on my undisclosed Legal Income during the last 3 years. Believe it or not, I was told to pay penalty @Tk.250 per day (TK. 91,250 per year) since the day I stopped submitting my tax returns. It was a bolt from the blue.
The yearly tax on my small income (if any) will most probably be not more than Tk. 5, 000 per year, i.e. Tk. 15,000 during the last 3 years.
Why should I then be asked to pay more than a million taka as penalty? How can this be an AMNESTY? Why is the promised 7% penalty ignored?
Would the Chairman, NBR, who has been taking pains to motivate people to pay taxes, kindly let me know through this column how I can avail the declared AMNESTY and pay tax on my income during the last three years with only 7% penalty. PLEASE HELP ME PAY MY TAX.
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