Shahnaz Rahman among top taxpayers

The tax authority yesterday announced Transcom Group Chairman Shahnaz Rahman, The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, and Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman as top taxpayers for fiscal 2021-22.

Shahnaz, wife of late Latifur Rahman, former chairman of Transcom Group, was named among the top taxpayers in the female category, an accolade she has been receiving for many years now.

The four others who won in the female category are Anwara Hossain, Amina Ahmed, Tasmin Mahmud and Parveen Hasan.

Mahfuz and Matiur were named the top taxpayers in the journalist category for the seventh consecutive year.

Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Impress Telefilm (Channel i), Shykh Seraj, founder director and head of news at Channel i, and Naem Nizam, editor of the Bangladesh Pratidin, also got recognition in this category.

Mediastar, the parent company of Bangla daily Prothom Alo, was the top tax-paying firm in the print and electronic media category. Mediastar is a sister concern of Transcom Group.

The company has been getting the recognition as highest taxpayer since fiscal 2015-16, when the National Board of Revenue decided to broaden the list of largest taxpayers to honour them with tax cards to encourage compliance among taxpayers.

In the print and electronic media category, East West Media Group, Somoy Media and Times Media were among the top taxpayers.

The tax administration launched the initiative in fiscal 2010-11 to honour taxpayers in two categories -- individuals and companies -- to motivate people to deposit due taxes and encourage more people to pay taxes.

A total of 76 individuals and 65 companies were announced as top taxpayers for fiscal 2021-22.

Bangladesh Test and T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan, ODI captain Tamim Iqbal and wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan Sohan were the top taxpayers in the sportsperson category.

In the senior citizen category, Md Kaus Mia, owner of Hakimpuri Jarda, and Khaza Tazmahal were named as top taxpayers.

A Matin Chowdhury, managing director of New Asia Group, topped the war-wounded freedom fighter category, followed by Md Nasir Uddin Mridha, Md Amjad Hossain, Md Joynal Abedin and Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim.

In the category for persons with physical disabilities, Akram Mahmud, Md Mamunur Rashid and Lubna Nigar got the accolades.

In the businessperson category, Golam Dastagir Gazi, chairman of Gazi Group and the minister of textiles and jute, and Walton Group's directors SM Ashraful Alam and SM Shamsul Alam made it to the list.

Jahangir Kabir, AKM Fazlul Haque and Pran Gopal Datta paid the highest amount of tax among medical professionals. In the lawyer category, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Ahsanul Karim were the top taxpayers.

In the actor or actress category, Mahfuz Ahmed and Mehazabien Chowdhury were the top taxpayers. Tahsan Rahman Khan, SD Rubel and Kumar Bishwajit paid the most taxes in the category for singers.

Standard Chartered Bank, Islami Bank, HSBC and Dutch-Bangla Bank were the top taxpaying banks, while Infrastructure Development Company, IDLC Finance and Investment Corporation of Bangladesh were top taxpayers in the non-bank financial institution.

Grameenphone was the highest taxpayer in the telecommunications category. Olympic Industries, Pran Dairy and Square Food and Beverages topped the list in the food and beverage category.

Coats Bangladesh and Paramount Textiles got the recognition of top taxpayer in the spinning and textiles category, while Square Fashions, Universal Jeans and Zaber & Zubair Fabrics were the top taxpayers in the readymade garments category.

In the pharmaceuticals category, Square Pharmaceuticals, Incepta Pharmaceuticals, Renata and Beximco Pharmaceuticals were the top taxpayers.

Bay Developments, Concord Real Estate and Development and Building Technology and Ideas were named in the real estate category.

Bata was the top taxpayer in the leather industry category and British American Tobacco in the "others" category.