DHAKA, Nov 29, 2020 (BSS) – National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem today said that the deadline for submitting income tax returns would not be extended beyond November 30.
“The last date for filing income tax returns is November 30. There is no scope for extending the timeframe as per the Income Tax Ordinance,” he said, responding to a question from reporters at a press conference at the NBR building in the capital.
The NBR chairman said that the taxpayers would have to submit their returns by tomorrow (Monday) as November 30 is the deadline for submitting income tax returns without fine. However, taxpayers will be able to file their income tax returns after taking time from tax offices, he added.
He said if the taxpayers or applicants can show the concerned tax commissioners a rational reason of failure to submit the tax returns in stipulated timeframe, then their fines would be waived.
Muneem said directives have been given to the tax commissioners to be flexible towards taxpayers regarding imposition of penalty for failure to submit their annual income statements within the deadline.
The countrywide income tax fair could not take place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but all the taxes zones are providing the facilities that usually exist in the tax fair.
The revenue board informed that they received some 63,199 higher returns until November 26 this year compared to November 26 last year as the number of returns this time totaled 13,20,825 while it was 12,57,626 in the same period last year.
The deadline for return submission without penalty begins from July 1 and ends on November 30.
Replying to another question, Muneem said that the taxpayers have had enough time for submitting their returns as the submission started on July 1.
A few years ago, the return submission deadline was extended every time. But in 2016, by bringing changes in the Income Tax Ordinance, it was decided not to extend the deadline after the National Tax Day on November 30.
The number of TIN holders in the country is now 46 lakh out of which around 20 lakh submit their returns.