EWMGL atop list of taxpayers

East West Media Group Limited (EWMGL), a concern of Bashundhara Group, one of the largest industrial conglomerates in the country, has once again topped the list of taxpaying companies in print and electronic media category. Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, also the CEO of News24 and Radio Capital, has for the first time appeared in the list of highest taxpayers in journalist category. EWMGL owns English newspaper the daily sun, Bengali dailies Bangladesh Pratidin and Kaler Kantho, television channel NEWS24, radio station Capital FM and online newspaper banglanews24.com. In 2016-17 fiscal year, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family had received ‘Kar Bahadur Paribar’ award along with 83 other families from across the country for paying highest income tax to the National Board of Revenue (NBR). However, this year the NBR will not give anyone ‘Kar Bahadur Paribar’ award. An NBR notification issued on Thursday revealed the names of 656 individual and corporate taxpayers for payments of the highest amount of income taxes in different categories in fiscal year 2017-18. Of them, 141 taxpayers from individual and company categories will be awarded tax cards for payments of the highest income taxes at the national level in the year. Another 515 individuals will receive crests and certificates as recognition of their contributions as top taxpayers at district and city corporation levels in the year and for a long time. The move was made as per the National Tax Card Policy, 2010 (Amended). The NBR has been awarding tax cards to top taxpayers in separate categories for the last three years. The NBR officials said the selected taxpayers will be awarded tax cards at a programme to be held at Sonargaon Hotel on November 12. Of the national-level highest taxpayers, 76 will get the award from individual category, 55 from company category and 10 from other categories, they said. The NBR selected three highest taxpayers, two long-time taxpayers, one female and one young taxpayer from each of the districts and city corporations, they added. The highest tax cardholders are entitled to enjoying a number of privileges for one year, including priority while reserving seats in public transports, public hospitals, access to VIP lounges at the airports and invitation to various national functions. Like previous years, taxpayers from two business houses —Drug International and Square — dominated the list while most of the leading and well-known business people of the country remained out of the list. The NBR officials said many renowned business people and business houses were not selected for the award as they had dispute over taxes with the tax authorities. The names of the highest taxpayers at national level include: Individual category: Senior citizen: Tapan Chowdhury, Khondker Badrul Hasan, Samuel S Chowdhury, Anita Chowdhury and Golam Dastagir Gazi. War-wounded freedom fighter: Abu Saleh Mohammad Nasim, Nasir Uddin Mridha, Md Idris Ali Mia, SM Abdul Wahab and Md Ataur Rouf. Physically-challenged: Sukarno Ghosh, Kazi Akhter Hossain and Md Mamunur Rashid. Female: Rubayat Farzana Hossain, Ratna Patra, Parvin Hasan, Nishat Farzana Chowdhury and Mahmuda Ali Sikdar. Individual (aged under 40): Nafis Sikder, Md Amjad Khan, Gazi Golam Mortuza, Md Hasan and Md Zulfikar Hossain Masud Rana. Businessman: Md Kaus Mia, Md Nuruzzaman Khan, Kamrul Ashraf Khan, Syed Abul Hossain and Abdul Kadir Molla. Salaried person: Laila Hossain, Mohammad Yusuf, Hosne Ara Hossain, Khwaja Tajmahal and MA Haider Hossain. Doctor: AKM Fazlul Haque, Pran Gopal Datta, Jahangir Kabir, Md Nurul Islam and NAM Momenuzzaman. Journalist: Mohammad Abdul Malek, Mahfuz Anam, Shaikh Siraj, Matiur Rahman and Naem Nizam. Lawyer: Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Ahsanul Karim, Mahbubey Alam, Tanjib-ul-Alam and Nihad Kabir. Engineer: Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Md Hafizur Rahman and Mohammad Hamidul Haque. Architect: Faiz Ullah, Md Hasan Shams Uddin and Iqbal Habib. Accountant: Md Moktar Hossain, MBM Lutful Hadee and Bimalendu Chakraborty New taxpayer: Mia Monika Rafiqulovna, Md Tafijul Islam Pial, Rana Malik, Siatun Nesa, Selina Akter, Saiful Islam and Rasel Roy. Athlete: Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal Khan and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza Actor/actress: Mahfuz Ahmed, MA Jalil Ananta and SA Abul Hayat. Singer: Tahsan Rahman Khan, Runa Laila and SD Rubel Others: Sadruddin Khan, Abu Mohammad Ziauddin Khan and Nazrul Islam Mazumdar. Company: Banking: Islami Bank Bangladesh, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Southeast Bank Ltd and Pubali Bank Ltd. Non-bank financial institution: IDLC Finance Ltd, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Ltd and Uttara Finance and Investment Ltd. Telecommunications: Grameenphone Ltd Engineering: BSRM Steels Ltd, PHP Cold Rolling Mills Ltd and PHP NOF Continuous Galvanizing Mills Ltd. Food and Allied: Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, Olympic Industries Ltd and Transcom Beverages Ltd. Energy: Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, Sylhet Gas Field Ltd and Chevron Bangladesh Blocks 13 and 14 Ltd Jute: Janata Jute Mills, Super Jute Mills and Ahyan Jute Mills Ltd. Spinning and textile: Coats Bangladesh Ltd, Apex Textile Printing Mills, Badsha Textiles Ltd, Square Textile Mills, Envoy Textiles Ltd, Fakhruddin Textiles Mills Ltd and Square Fashion Yarns Ltd. Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals: Unilever Bangladesh Ltd, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Renata Ltd and Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Print and electronic media: East West Media Group Ltd, Transcraft Ltd and Media World Ltd and Media Star Ltd. Real estate: Space Zero Ltd, Bay Developments Ltd and The Structural Engineers Ltd. RMG: Rifat Garments Ltd, GMS Composite Knitting Industries Ltd, That’s It Sportswear Ltd, Ripon Knitwear Ltd, Four H Fashions Ltd, KDS Garments Industries and Apex Lingerie Ltd Leather: Bata Shoe Company BD Ltd, Apex Tannery Ltd and Lalmai Footwear Ltd Others: British American Tobacco Bangladesh, American Life Insurance Company, Lafargeholcim Bangladesh Ltd and Nitol Motors Ltd. Other category: Walton Micro-tech Corporation, Messer’s SN Corporation, Walton Plaza and Messer’s ASBS, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Mongla Cement Factory and Sena Kalyan Electric Industries, H Akberali and Co Ltd, Apex Freight Ltd, Bangladesh Bank Workers’ Cooperative Credit Society Ltd and Gramsico Ltd.

SOURCE : Daily Sun