Finance Adviser urges DCs to include physicians and traders in upazilas in the tax system

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed instructed Deputy Commissioners to ensure that doctors in districts, upazilas, and rural areas, who have significant income but avoid paying taxes, are brought under the tax net. This directive was issued during the second session on the second day of the three-day Deputy Commissioners’ (DC) Conference at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

Speaking to reporters after the session, the adviser explained that efforts are underway to encourage doctors and lawyers to issue receipts or use digital payment methods for their fees, making it easier to include them in the tax system.

“The field-level officials are the ones who implement government decisions. If they are efficient and service-oriented, people will receive better services,” he said. He pointed out that many doctors and lawyers conduct cash transactions, making it challenging to track their income for taxation.

"Patients often do not receive receipts for the fees they pay to doctors. If payments are made digitally, it would create a record, similar to practices in other countries," he added.

The adviser also emphasized the importance of boosting local-level employment, citing China's example, where rural industries are globally connected. "Products made in a remote Chinese village are available in Walmart stores in the US. However, products from Bangladesh’s rural areas do not reach global markets due to a lack of connectivity," he noted.

He also stressed the need to expand the tax net while maintaining reasonable VAT and tax rates. "We have around 50 to 60 lakh industries, but only 5 lakh pay taxes," the adviser concluded.