NBR will select 100 real taxpayers by holding a lottery from the SMS received
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has decided to reward a fixed number of real VAT payers by introducing a monthly lottery for them with the implementation of the new Value Added Tax (VAT) law.
The new Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty Act will come into effect from July 1, 2016.
The NBR has come up with the disclosure recently while unveiling its Taxpayers Communication Plan 2015-16 that contains a detailed plan for the implementation of the law under the VAT Online Project of the revenue authorities.
NBR made the plan to enable different communication activities for establishing better connection with taxpayers and creating awareness among the end consumers.
According to the plan, the board will select 100 real-taxpayers (end consumers) at the end of every month for their support in ensuring proper VAT payment.
The VOP of revenue authorities will sign a contract with a mobile operator company, preferable state government owned operator Teletalk to conduct the lottery system.
To participate the lottery, the end consumers have to text the VAT Invoice number from their mobile phone to a specific number given by NBR via SMS.
The NBR will select 100 real taxpayers by holding a lottery from the SMS received, the plan reads.
“The expense for lottery will be borne from the revenue earnings of SMS receipt by mobile operator company. Remaining amount may be kept by the operator,” the plan said.
The process will not involve any financial expenditure from the VAT Online project, but it may involve only management expenditure, the plan shows.
E-learning portal and web-portal on the offing:
NBR will also introduce e-learning portal, web portal and different VAT related applications to ensure effective communication with VAT payers.
The NBR web portal will provide all information on VAT and online services like registration, payment, return submission, appeal etc while the e-learning portal will provide hands-on training to the taxpayers using online distance learning method.
The VAT applications will help taxpayers to know the updates on VAT e-learning portal and NBR portal. About 500 FAQs will be published on NBR portal and 20 courses on VAT will also be developed for e-learning system.
The VOP will also develop a set of SMS contents and provide it to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission for circulation to inform taxpayers and citizen about different events. The events may include: registration start, return start, e-payment start, e-portal start, celebration of National VAT Day and any other important events.
Call Centre facilities:
The revenue authorities is also all set to launch Taxpayers Call Centres to help VAT payers in getting instant reply of any queries on the new VAT law.
There will be centralised point of contact for the taxpayers who require either general information about their obligations under the new VAT law or specific inquiries over their VAT compliance matter.
The call centres will work to help and encourage VAT payers in transition to new automated online system from the existing manual paper-based system.
Existing and potential new taxpayers will be able to call directly to any of the call centres for any queries relating to VAT, excise and turnover tax once it comes into effect under the VAT Online System.
The NBR will start issuing electronic business identification number (BIN) from April 1 while businesses is expected to be able to submit tax returns and pay VAT online from August. All the other procedures including refund and legal actions under new VAT act will also go online gradually.
