Safwan Sobhan named top young taxpayer

Bashundhara Group Vice Chairman Safwan Sobhan has been nominated for the prestigious ‘tax card’ facilities as the prominent entrepreneur topped the list of young taxpayers.

The Ministry of Finance published a gazette notification on Wednesday nominating 141 individuals and companies for tax card facilities for the next one year.The National Board of Revenue (NBR) will hand over the tax cards for highest contributions to national exchequer from respective levels.

The selected cardholders will get special facilities, including invitation to national programmes, privilege at VIP lounge of airports and priority at star-ranked hotels.

Earlier, International AsiaOne magazine honoured Safwan Sobhan as ‘Global Leader of the Year’ for his outstanding leadership, efficiency and contribution to business as well as society. He is a TOYP award holder of Junior Chamber International (JCI).

Other nominees in young tax payers category are – Asif Iqbal Mahmud, Nasiruddin Akhter Rashid, Raisa Sigma Hima and Robin Razon Sakhawat.

Since 2016, NBR has been giving tax cards and awards to the top taxpayers.

East West Media Group, the umbrella organisation of the media units of Bashundhara Group, including Bangladesh Pratidin, Kalerkantho and Daily Sun, has been nominated for tax card facilities for the seventh times in a row in media category.Five journalists have been nominated for the tax card facilities for their contributions to the national exchequer from respective categories. The journalists are – Channel I Managing Director Faridur Reza, Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Channel I Founder Director

 Shykh Seraj and Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam.

Haji Kaus Miah has kept the top position in senior citizen category. He has been holding the position for the past few years.

Grameenphone is getting the highest taxpayer tax card in the telecommunication category at the company level.

Top taxpayers in banking category are Islami Bank, Standard Chartered Bank-Bangladesh Branch, Dutch Bangla Bank Limited and Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

In the non-banking category: Infrastructure Development Company, IDLC Finance, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Limited have been nominated for the tax card.

Square Pharmaceuticals, Renetta, Beximco and Incepta Pharmaceuticals are leading in the drugs and chemicals category.

Bata Shoe, Lalmai footwear and Alliance Leather topped in the Leather Industry category.

Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Limited, Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills Limited and National Development Engineers topped in the engineering category.

Olympic Industries Limited, Pran Dairy Limited and Square Food & Beverage Limited in the food and accessories category while Titus Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, Yamuna Oil Company Limited and Petromex Refinery Limited won the award in the energy category.

Akiz Jute Mills, Ayan Jute Mills and Roman Jute Mills topped in industry category.

In the Spinning and Textile Mills category: Coates Bangladesh Limited, Paramount Textiles Limited, Nahid Cotton Mills Limited, ACS Textiles (Bangladesh) Limited, Badsha Textiles Limited, Apex Textile Printing Mills Limited and NZ Textiles Limited topped the list.

East West Media Limited, Times Media, and Mediastar Limited are in print and electronic media category while Bay Development Limited, Concord Real Estate and Development Limited, Building Technology and Ideas Limited topped the Real Estate category.

Square Fashion Limited, Universal Jeans Limited, Jaber & Jobair Fabrics Limited, Rifat Garments Limited, Pacific Jeans Limited, Snowtex Outwear Limited and Yangwan Hitech Sportswear Industries have been recognised in the readymade apparel category.

In the senior citizen category: Apart from Kauch Miah, Khwaja Tajmahal, Fazlur Rahman, M Sahabuddin Ahmed and Engineer Khandkar Badrul Hasan are getting tax cards.

In the gazetted freedom fighter category: Md. Nasir Uddin Mridha, Matin Chowdhury, Dr. Md. Amjad Hossain, Md. Zainal Abedin, Lieut. General Abu Saleh Md. Nasim (Retd.). Dr. in the doctor category. Jahangir Kabir, Professor Dr. AKM Fazlul Haque, Professor Dr. Pran Gopal Dutta, Dr. Nargis Fatema, Dr. NAM Momenuzzaman have been nominated for tax card.

Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Ahsanul Karim, Toufika Aftab, Barrister Nihad Kabir and Attorney General Abu Mohammad Amin Uddin have been selected in the lawyer category.

In engineer category, Zahurul Islam, Mokhlesur Rahman and Abdullah Mohammad Faiz Ullah while Enamul Karim Nirjar and Architect Yafes Osman have been nominated for tax card. Mashuk Ahmed, Mokhtar Hossain and Rakesh Saha have been nominated in accountant category.

National cricketers Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal Khan and Kazi Nurul Hasan (Sohan) are the top taxpayers in the player category.

Mahfuz Ahmed, Mehzabeen Chowdhury and Piyush Bandyopadhyay got the nomination in actor/actress category while Tahsan Rahman Khan, SD Rubel, Kumar Biswajit topped the vocalist category.

Anwara Hossain, Amina Ahmed, Shahnaz Rahman, Tasneem Mahmud and Parveen Hasan in women’s category while Akram Mahmud in the disabled category, Dr. Md. Mamunur Rashid and Lubna Nigar got the nomination in others category.