National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem on Friday raised the rationale behind the proposal to make the minimum Tk 2,000 tax for every TIN holder who is below the taxable income.

“TIN is not mandatory for the poor. It is a matter of pride for the people who are obliged to take TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) to be partners of the development (of the country), paying Tk 2,000 to the national exchequer. It should not be thought of as a burden,” he said.

The NBR Chairman made these remarks replying to a question in a post-budget press conference arranged by the Finance Ministry in the city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

He said the TIN is mandatory for the holders of export and import licenses, other trade licenses and pistol licenses, commission agencies, the house and car owners in city corporation areas and others.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Thursday unveiled the Tk 761,785-crore proposed national budget for the financial year of 2023-2024 in Parliament.

The Minister in his budget speech said, “I propose to make the minimum tax two thousand taka among competent people who are below taxable income but has obligation to submit income tax return to take service from the government with a view to circulating this participation in government welfare work.”

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Tazul Islam, Education Minister Dipu Moni, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam and Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder answered a volley of questions related to the proposed budget in the press conference.

Besides, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, PM's Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain and Finance Secretary Fatima Yasmin, among others, were present.