The government has instructed district administrators to collect the due amount from tax evading affluent businessmen in villages as well as lawyers and doctors, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed told reporters Monday.

Strict orders have been given to district administrators in this regard, the adviser said while addressing reporters at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium on the second day of Deputy Commissioner Conference 2025.

Steps are also being taken to introduce a transparent billing system and digital payment methods for tracking the charges clients pay to their doctors and lawyers, Salehuddin Ahmed.

Currently, Bangladesh has around nine million Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) holders, but only about 3.5 million submit tax returns annually.

The government aims to increase the number of active taxpayers to at least 5 million by the end of June, reports UNB.

To achieve this, NBR has made it mandatory for professionals such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, and other high-income groups to obtain TINs and file annual tax returns.

Additionally, individuals owning cars, properties in upscale areas, or possessing investment portfolios beyond a certain threshold must now submit tax returns, even if they do not meet the taxable income limit.