Sangsad Bhaban: Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday proposed to establish two new tax zones in Jessore and Kushtia aiming to outreach taxpayers with tax services.

"We're gradually establishing new tax zones in all important districts," Muhith said in his budget speech for 2017-18.

In addition to the existing 87 upazila tax circle offices, the Finance Minister also proposed to establish tax circle offices in 103 new upazilas.

In his last year's budget speech, Muhith mentioned tax administrative reforms in three areas.

The areas are introduction of e-TDS system under a central Withholding Tax Unit with required number of Withholding Tax Zones under the central unit, establishment of a modern and fully automated Tax Information Unit that will be connected to other systems and database of the country, automatically gather tax related information from those interconnectivity for the purpose of expanding tax net and combating tax evasion and Establishment of an appropriate administration setup for the international taxes that will deal with combating cross-border tax evasion, capital flight and facilitating recovery of such evaded tax.

"The National Board of Revenue is currently working with administrative reforms mentioned above. I hope the proposed units will be able to fully functional by the end of next financial year," he added.