Ashis Biswas, a retired official of the Chittagong Port Authority, has been filing his tax returns for the past three years at the annual income tax fair, as he finds it to be the easiest and most hassle-free way of doing so. 

When he was in service, a consultant used to prepare his returns and file them. He had to do it all by himself after his retirement, an exercise he found to be complicated.

"So, I came to the fair three years ago and the tax officials helped me prepare them," he said, while filing his returns on the first day of the weeklong income tax fair at Agrabad in Chittagong.

In Dhaka, the fair is taking place at the Officer's Club on Baily Road, where crowds of taxpayers were seen filing their returns for fiscal 2015-16.

Organised by the National Board of Revenue since 2010, the fair provides tax-related assistance to taxpayers, receives returns and issues acknowledgement receipts on the spot.

Its objective is to motivate people to become taxpayers and widen the tax net.

Of the total population of 16 crore, there are 17 lakh taxpayer identification number (TIN) holders at present.

Of them, 12 lakh submitted returns last year -- a number that upsets policymakers, including Finance Minister AMA Muhith, who has set a target of collecting more than 50 percent of the revenues through income tax by fiscal 2021-22.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu echoed the same in his inaugural speech in Dhaka.

The number of people paying income tax is very low, he said, adding that it would be possible to become a middle-income country before the targeted 2041 if all pay their taxes properly.

The industries minister said the government will welcome those who are yet to join the tax net and they will face no harassment.

At the fair, taxpayers can also deposit their tax money at the booths of Sonali and Janata banks, and register for electronically generated TINs or re-register for e-TINs to replace their old TINs.

"The introduction of online TIN generation is nothing short of a miracle to me as I do not need to take the trouble of moving from table to table at the tax office," Mostafizur Rahman, a taxpayer, said after filing returns in Dhaka.

Rahman, who has been paying taxes for a decade, stopped going to the tax office in person ever since the fair first began.

The tax fair this year, apart from taking place in divisional cities for a week and districts town for four days each, will also be held in 86 upazilas:  for two days in 29 upazilas and one day in 57 upazilas, all between September 16-22, according to the NBR.

The event began yesterday in 13 district towns and six upazilas, along with seven divisional cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong.

Since its introduction, the event has gained much popularity. Now, many taxpayers, like Biswas and Rahman, wait for the annual event to complete their tax-related formalities in a hassle-free environment.

Ayesha Khatun, another retired government employee, is one of them. She had to visit the tax office twice to submit her income and wealth statement once.

"The responsible officer left his seat without signing the acknowledgement receipt. I had to visit again to get that. Later, I started filing the returns here."

Many other visitors had the same opinion: they often miss this friendly and hassle-free environment at the NBR offices at other times.

"The officials are usually too busy to properly discuss or clear our confusions on filling up the return forms. But here, they are so cordial and helpful," said SM Zakir Hossain, a taxpayer in Chittagong.

The fair and assistance from taxmen has also attracted many new taxpayers.

Md Sohel, a young businessman from Agrabad area in Chittagong, has recently signed up for e-TIN. He visited the fair to know whether he is required to pay income tax or not.

"I will have to pay income tax from next year as I have started my new business this year," he said, referring to the advice received from taxmen.

"I have learnt how to fill up tax return forms and do not need to consult tax lawyers now," said Prashanta Kirtania, who filed his returns at the fair in Dhaka yesterday.

The fair will end on September 22 in all divisional cities, but appeals for time extension have already been made. 

Extending the fair will allow a larger number of taxpayers to complete tax formalities easily, Hossain said, adding that the authority should consider it.