Former finance minister AMA Muhith suggested that the revenue board recruit university students for conducting door-to-door survey aimed at expanding tax net.
He said the university students will collect data on lifestyles of wealthy people and owners of apartments and private cars.
On the basis of their compiled data, taxmen will determine tax on them and serve notices, Mr Muhith.
He floated the idea at a programme on Thursday at the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The NBR arranged the programme to give farewell to the immediate past finance minister and welcome his successor AHM Mustafa Kamal.
Responding to the suggestion, NBR chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the process of taxpayers' survey has already started.
The board will conduct taxpayers' survey in association with the city corporation, he added.
Information about potential taxpayers at growth centres at the upazila level will be collected through the survey.
Speaking at the programme, Mr Kamal pledged to work in the light of guidance from the ex-finance minister.
He expressed optimism about the country's membership at G-20, a club of top 20 economies of the world, by 2041.
He said further reforms in the revenue system are required to accelerate economic growth.
He also laid emphasis on reforming the country's education system, aligning it with economic and technological needs.
The need-based and technology based education system is required to meet the demand for the fourth industrial revolution, he added.
NBR chairman said the expansion of tax offices is necessary as the number of offices is inadequate given the needs.
The total manpower of NBR is currently 35,000, he said, adding of them, some 7,000 to 8,000 posts are vacant.
He noted the NBR will start pre-budget discussions by next February or March and apprise the finance minister of this.
