The National Board of Revenue yesterday honoured the late Latifur Rahman, founding chairman of Transcom Group, and Shahnaz Rahman, the conglomerate's current chairman, as the country's top taxpayers for their exemplary tax compliance in 2020-21.

This is the second year in a row that the tax authority has recognised them for their outstanding tax records.

Latifur, who passed away on July 1, 2020, was among the top taxpayers in the senior citizen category for his income in the fiscal year 2019-20, a distinction he previously received in 2015-16, while his wife Shahnaz was named as one of the highest female taxpayers in Dhaka city earlier.

This year, the NBR honoured Shahnaz as one of the largest taxpayers in the country in the women category.

In 2017, the NBR honoured Latifur's family as Kar Bahadur (tax icon) along with 83 other families.

Md Kamrul Hassan, chief financial officer of Transcom Ltd, received the tax cards, crests and certificates of honour on behalf of Latifur and Shahnaz at an event at the Officers' Club Dhaka from NBR Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal inaugurated the event, organised by the NBR to recognise and celebrate tax compliance for the 11th consecutive year.

Besides, for the sixth consecutive year, The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam and Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman became the top taxpayers in the journalist category.

Matiur received a tax card, crest and certificate of honour as well.

ASM Nazrul Islam, manager for corporate affairs and tax at The Daily Star, received the recognition on behalf of Mahfuz Anam.

The NBR recognised two sister concerns of Transcom Group -- Mediastar and Transcraft Ltd, the owning companies of Prothom Alo and its printer Transcraft -- as the top taxpaying firms in the print and electronic media category.

The two companies have been receiving the accolade as the biggest taxpayers since 2015-16, when the NBR decided to broaden the list of the largest taxpayers to honour them with tax cards and encourage compliance among taxpayers.

Matiur received the tax card on behalf of Mediastar, while Kamrul Hassan accepted it on behalf of Transcraft.

Among journalists, MA Malek, editor of Chattogram-based daily Dainik Azadi, Faridur Reza, managing director of Channel i, and Abdul Muqeed Majumdar, a director of Channel i, were recognised as the highest taxpayers for the 2020-21 income year.

Malek received the award while Shykh Seraj, a director of Channel i, received the recognition on behalf of Faridur Reza, and Abdur Rashid Majumder, chairman of Channel i, received the award on behalf of Muqeed.

Somoy Media and East West Media Group were also named as the highest taxpayers in the print and electronic media category.