Tax collection on the first three days of the ongoing weeklong tax fair has crossed the Tk 1,000 crore mark amid an increasing turnout of individuals taxpayers.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) got a total of Tk 1,014.40 crore from all the divisional cities till yesterday, 3 percent higher from that of the same period last year.

Moreover some 1.85 lakh returns were submitted, up 68 percent year-on-year, according to a statement of the NBR.

This is the ninth year that the tax authority is holding the event to provide assistance to individual taxpayers to complete their tax-related formalities for the year and create a tax culture in the country where evasion and avoidance are said to be very high.

Yesterday, the show took place in 51 districts and 18 upazilas apart from all divisional cities. In Dhaka and Chittagong, the event is ongoing at Officers Club and at GEC Convention Centre respectively.

Until yesterday, 6.11 lakh people received services from taxmen at the fair.

The figure was 3.96 lakh the previous year, according to the NBR.

The NBR said 15,764 new taxpayers joined the income tax network by signing up for taxpayers identification number in the first three days, up 176 percent year-on-year.

The fair will stay open from 9am to 5pm every day, including Friday and Saturday, said the NBR.