NBR to probe outsiders' entry into Ctg customs
The National Board of Revenue is going to investigate outsiders' involvement as middlemen in customs assessment and related work at Chittagong Customs House.
A four-member probe body was formed and it will visit the customs house on Sunday, according to a notice issued on October 16.
The members are: SM Ashfaq Hussain, member for board administration at the NBR; Md Rezaul Hasan, member for customs and VAT administration; Md Belal Uddin, director-general of the NBR's central intelligence cell, and Moinul Khan, director-general of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate.
With covert support from a section of corrupt officials, a good number of outsiders are taking advantage of workforce shortage.
The outsiders have long been active in the customs house, assisting officials in composing on computers, transferring file from one department to another and assessing related activities.
They are also involved in illegal financial transactions between corrupt officials and dishonest clearing and forwarding agents at different stages of customs assessment.
The Transparency International Bangladesh, in a study in 2014, said customs officials unlawfully appointed outsiders as their personal assistants to perform illegal transaction with traders.
The CIID, in a report last year, said the middlemen had become important in carrying out customs operations because of workforce shortage. It held four outsiders in a sudden drive on November 16 last year.
The Customs House authorities also took initiatives to wipe out the outsiders, but it is alleged that they had returned.
The circular also acknowledged their presence.
Chittagong Customs House Commissioner AFM Abdullah Khan told The Daily Star that it had tried several times to drive out the outsiders.
Some outsiders may still be seen visiting the customs house as several thousand clearing and forwarding agents enter the premises every day, he said.
“We have warned all officials that if any outsider is found in any official's office he or she would be held responsible.”