Sustainable anti-corruption drive needed to encourage people to pay taxes: Farashuddin

A sustainable and transparent anti-corruption drive needed to encourage people to pay taxes, former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin said today (5 July).

“Tax evasion must be prevented. A survey in the country says that 27 lakh people are very rich, out of which only 9 lakh pay taxes,” said the economist while speaking as the chief guest at a shadow parliament debate competition titled “This year’s budget will be helpful for sustainable development” organised by Debate for Democracy in the capital’s FDC.

“If taxes could be collected from 27 lakh people, the budget deficit would have been even lower. Those who are obligated to pay taxes should be encouraged to do so through understanding, not by force or fear of imprisonment and oppression.

Four years ago, there was a strong drive against casinos and drug lords, but it has stopped. Now the anti-corruption drive has started, let’s see how far it goes. Or will this lose its way like the anti-drug drive?

Former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin

“However, without a sustainable and transparent anti-corruption campaign, it cannot be confidently stated that those who currently evade taxes will start paying them,” he added.

The former governor said, “In other countries, building a kilometre of road costs Tk30 crore, but in Bangladesh, it costs Tk100 crore.

“Buying a pillow costs Tk600, but they allocate Tk17,000 for it. These have to be stopped.”

Raising the issue of recent corruption of some government officials, Farashuddin said, “Four years ago, there was a strong drive against casinos and drug lords, but it has stopped. Now the anti-corruption drive has started, let’s see how far it goes. Or will this lose its way like the anti-drug drive?

“I am very hopeful that the prime minister’s zero tolerance against corruption will be implemented this time. If that happens, other tasks will be easier for us.”