Man who earns Dh2,500 a month wins Dh35,000 cash price after being named Du singer of the season in contest
DUBAI// Every day, as he sits stitching curtains in his job as a tailor, Shabbir Khan sings along to the classic Hindi songs he plays on a mobile phone he keeps in his shirt pocket.
In front of a crowd of more than 4,000 workers at the Sonapur Labour Camp in Dubai, Khan – from Rajasthan, India – maintained a solemn expression while he sang his way to victory, but tears ran down his face as he picked up his cheque.
“I’m sending the money home for my daughter’s marriage,” he said.
Khan, who has worked in Dubai for 11 years, will not be quitting his Dh2,500-a-month job as a tailor for the Al Gurg company.
“I won’t go home because I’m happy here,” he said.
More than 5,000 men from 32 companies and 150 camps auditioned this summer for the chance to compete in the tenth season of the Western Union Camp Ka Champ contest, organised by Right Track Advertising.
The finalists sang in three categories – Antakshari, in which four teams of two had to demonstrate their Bollywood music trivia knowledge, Du Singer of the Season, in which a panel of three judges assessed the vocal talents of four finalists, and the English Unplugged section, which was won by a Ugandan trio of reggae singers who work for Transguard Security.
From her front row seat, Aliya Ahmed, marketing director Middle East and Africa for Western Union, said she was pleased to see the spirit of the crowds.
“This is an opportunity for these men to come out and enjoy life, because this is something really big for which they wait the entire year,” she said.
None of the finalists went home empty-handed, as runners up received prizes, including electronics from Geepas, Dh500 Du phone credit cards and flight tickets from Air Arabia.
The winners of the Antakshari contest were Ibrir Hosen, 31, from Pakistan, who works for Belhasa Projects, and Nusref Khan, 26, from India.
Winning a Dh17,500 cash prize was fortuitous for Nusref Khan who had resigned from his job as a bricklayer.
He is flying home to India in two days, where he will see his one-year-old son for the first time.
Mr Khan is putting his winnings into a fixed deposit savings scheme to pay for his son’s education.
“Now, at least my son can have the opportunities I was never able to have.”
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
UAE - India ties
The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion
The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India
Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015
His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016
Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017
Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
