The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) has called on the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to ensure that businesses complying with tax regulations are not subjected to unnecessary harassment as it intensifies monitoring and verification of withholding tax under the Income Tax Act, 2023.
In a press release, DCCI welcomed the NBR’s initiative to strengthen oversight of withholding tax deduction and deposit under Section 147(2) of the Income Tax Act, stating that effective implementation would contribute to higher revenue collection and broaden Bangladesh’s tax base.
However, the chamber emphasized that enforcement measures should be carried out in a fair and business-friendly manner, ensuring that compliant taxpayers are not inconvenienced through excessive scrutiny or administrative burdens.
DCCI also urged the tax authority to provide sufficient time and opportunity for businesses that have yet to fully comply with tax requirements, allowing them to regularize their tax affairs while safeguarding their legitimate rights.
The chamber further stressed the need to accelerate automation and digitalisation across the country’s revenue administration. It said wider adoption of digital systems would improve tax administration, enhance transparency, support the government’s revenue mobilisation efforts, and reduce unnecessary compliance challenges for the private sector.
Highlighting the importance of collaboration, DCCI noted that effective revenue collection and a business-friendly investment climate can be achieved simultaneously through constructive dialogue between the government and the business community.
The chamber also called for stronger public-private cooperation to improve tax compliance across all sectors while maintaining a predictable, transparent, and supportive business environment conducive to investment and economic growth.
