National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Dr Shoaib Ahmed will hold a meeting with the business community of Chittagong today aiming to motivate them to pay value added tax (VAT).

Representatives from various trade bodies will attend the meeting to be held at the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) auditorium in the afternoon, chamber sources said.

They said the NBR chief will exchange views with the businessmen to bolster VAT collection from the second largest city as part of the government's vigorous drive to achieve revenue target.

Alleged harassment of businesspeople by tax officials and remedial steps will also come up for discussion.

CCCI President Amir Humayun M Chowdhury said the chamber will submit a memorandum to the NBR chairman seeking his initiatives to resolve multifaceted problems of the businesses.

All trade bodies based in Chittagong have been invited to participate in the meeting, the chamber president said.

"Some of the VAT officials in Chittagong are often found to be very shrewd and sometime we face harassment and misbehaviour from them," said a business leader on condition of anonymity.

The NBR chairman will be accompanied by a member of the board. Outgoing president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Yussuf Abdullah Harun will also attend the meeting.

CCCI organised a preparatory meeting yesterday with all its members and leaders of different associations at the chamber auditorium. Chamber president Amir Humayun M Chowdhury chaired the meeting.