Half of candidates did not reveal income tax info

Almost half of the 540 candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections did not submit their income tax-related documents to the Election Commission, while 11 percent of the contestants face different cases, reveals an analysis of Shushasoner Jannoy Nagorik (SHUJAN).  
The non-government advocacy group came up with the revelations after analysing information on education, profession, cases, loans, wealth and income tax of the 153 candidates who are already elected unopposed and 387 others who will contest in Sunday's polls.
As SHUJAN documents cite that only 50.18 percent of the candidates paid their income tax, The Daily Star contacted a SHUJAN official who clarified that actually 271 candidates submitted income tax documents, while 86 submitted only income certificates without any detail.  
SHUJAN shared the results of its analysis through a press conference at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
The findings show only 58 candidates have a non-taxable income, which is Tk 2 lakh or less, and 48 candidates paid taxes worth over Tk 10 lakh, while at least 60 candidates annually earn Tk 1 crore or more.
Many of those who submitted disclosures did not mention the current value of their assets, for which their actual amount of wealth could not be determined.
“I request the ACC, [National] Board of Revenue and Election Commission to look into the matter,” said Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of SHUJAN.
A total of 277 candidates have wealth worth above Tk 1 crore, and assets of at least 103 candidates and their dependents exceed Tk 5 crore, he said in a written statement.
As many as 29 candidates were sued before or after they were elected as lawmaker, while 194 faced cases in the past. Among them, 47 candidates were sued under the penal code, of whom 22 candidates do not have any opponent in Sunday's election. Besides, 81 others out of the 153 elected uncontested had different cases before they became lawmaker.
Of the contestants, 282 are businessmen, 63 lawyers, 30 job holders, and five housewives. Of the rest, 40 are involved in farming, while 92 have other income sources.
Academic data reveal that 50 candidates did not complete secondary level education, while 43 passed SSC exams, 60 completed higher secondary education, 202 are graduates, and 180 did post graduation. Two candidates did no clarify their academic qualifications.  
A total of 226 candidates have bank loans, of whom 39 lent over Tk 5 crore.
Terming Sunday's election a "joke", Barrister Shahdeen Malik, member of the national committee, SHUJAN, said the opposition candidates would act like actors in this election.
Badiul Alam, however, said it was Shahdeen's personal views not SHUJAN's, but he observed that the election was not acceptable as 53 percent of all voters could not cast vote.