The government for the first time awarded special cards to 10 companies and 10 individuals for being the highest taxpayers in fiscal 2009-10.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith gave away the certificates, Tax Card, to the recipients at a ceremony organised by the National Board of Revenue at Officers' Club in Dhaka yesterday.

The recipients are entitled to some privileges for a year from the issuing of the card. They will be invited to national programmes and functions in municipalities and city corporations.

They will also get priority in ticket booking from Biman, the national flag carrier, for overseas travel, and reservation of seats in government transports in rail and river transports.

The cardholders with

of the common people who has negative thoughts about tax,” he added.

“The government uses your tax for the country's development,” he said, adding that the revenue income from taxes is only 10-11 percent of the country’s total gross domestic product, compared to 20-30 percent in other countries.

It showed there is ample scope for revenue income from taxes, he said. “Instead of duty, income tax, value added tax and service tax will be main source of government revenue in future,” he said.

NBR Chairman Ghulam Hossain said Bangladesh should have six million taxpayers as per its population base. “But we have only 1.3 million taxpayers,” he said.

The tax cards will encourage others to pay taxes. “It will also create a competitive environment among the taxpayers — individuals and

their spouses and children will also get priority in getting cabins in public hospitals.

The government has introduced the tax cards to recognise the highest taxpayers at national level, Muhith said. “The objective was to change the mindset

companies," Hossain said.

The honour was delayed somewhat due to being the first time ever, he said. “We will try to award the highest taxpayers for fiscal 2010-11 and 2011-12 this fiscal year.”