National Board of Revenue chairman Abdur Rahman Khan has warned that tougher steps would be taken to address gold smuggling, streamline tax procedures and ensure fair pricing of essential goods.
Speaking at a press briefing after inaugurating a passenger service help desk at the airport customs on Sunday, the chairman underscored discrepancies in the volume of gold within the country compared to its official import records.
鈥楾his imbalance must be brought under regulatory frameworks. Any aircraft found to be facilitating gold smuggling will face stringent actions, including bans and the revocation of route permits,鈥� he said.
The chairman announced plans to launch a mobile application next year for submitting tax returns, marking a step toward complete automation of the tax payment process.
He emphasised reducing direct interactions between tax officials and taxpayers to minimise complications.
To make tax payments more accessible, debit and credit card transactions have been facilitated. 鈥楩or payments below Tk 25,000 via cards, the processing fee will be Tk 20, while for amounts above this threshold, the maximum fee will be Tk 50.鈥�
He also noted that all corporate tax returns would be brought online by next year.
Ahead of Ramadan, the NBR has been focusing on keeping prices of key commodities stable.
The chairman assured that steps were being taken to ensure reasonable prices for potatoes, onions and sugar.
To further ease consumer burden, he said, the government is set to reduce duties on dates shortly.
He pointed out that sugar prices were now within reach, thanks to a double reduction in tariffs, and import duties on eggs had already been lowered. However, rising international prices for soya bean and palm oil have pushed edible oil prices higher in local markets.
Addressing concerns about passenger harassment at airports, the chairman stated that authorities were prioritising preventive measures.
鈥楢ny complaints regarding customs services will be resolved immediately. Unfortunately, many citizens are unaware of their rights and hesitate to report issues,鈥� he said.
To make the complaint process more accessible, passengers can now lodge grievances online. 鈥楽ervices provided by customs are entitlements, not favours. Complaints submitted online will be addressed promptly,鈥� the chairman assured.