The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has directed the VAT administration at the field level to take legal actions against those registered business firms which do not hang turnover tax certificates in their own firms.

According to the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Supplementary Duty Act, 2012, the registered business firms would have to hang turnover tax certificates in their own business establishments so that those could be easily sighted.

But, many of the business houses are not complying with the directive, said the NBR officials.

Under the circumstances, the revenue board issued directives to the field-level administration to take legal actions against those errant business firms on urgent basis.

Issuing such directives, the NBR has asked each commissioner to apprise the revenue board by July 16 about the latest implementation status of its directives in this regard.

Talking to the reporter, NBR member (VAT Implementation and IT) M Jamal Hossain said, "We had also given directives earlier to implement this provision of the VAT Act to check TAX evasion and also motivate the real VAT payers. But, many people are not complying with this directive. For this, We've asked the field-level officials to be tough in this regard through giving directives again," he added.

He said the respective commissioners have been asked to take legal actions against the non-complying business institutions as well as conducting survey in each circle in this regard to identify those who are not complying with this directive.

Besides, the concerned officials have been asked to publicize this directive in various media so that the VAT payers feel motivated to pay tax.

Jamal informed that the concerned NBR officials would now make sudden visits to any of the commissionerate to oversee the implementation of this directive.