Taxpayers subjected to harassment by tax officials have been asked to lodge complaints with the office of the tax ombudsman.

The ombudsman will deal with complaints regarding income tax, value added tax (VAT) and import duty, and take remedial measures.

Aggrieved taxpayers should file the complaints with the ombudsman's temporary office at Kakrail in the capital either in person or by mail or through courier services, according to a press release issued by the office yesterday.

If tax officials act in an illogical, biased or unjust way, or violate laws and regulations of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), taxpayers could lodge complaints against them.

The complainants will not be charged any fees for the services they will get. They have to provide all documents concerning their complaints. Anonymous and unclear complaints will not be accepted, the press release said.

Tax Ombudsman Khairuzzaman Chowdhury last night told The Daily Star that in case of trivial complaints, taxpayers can directly approach the NBR for a solution. If there is a substantial complaint, a hearing will be arranged and necessary steps will be taken, he said.

They will seek to resolve each case within six months, he added.

The ombudsman will present an annual report to the president three months after a calendar year ends and it will then be presented in parliament, according to the Tax Ombudsman Act.

The report will include instances where the NBR does not respond to the tax ombudsman's request to take action on complaints.

The office of the tax ombudsman was created in accordance with the Tax Ombudsman Act, enacted in 2005, to ensure transparency and accountability of the tax administration and management, and to reduce taxpayers' harassment.