NBR Reform Unity Council president among 6 under ACC scanner over graft allegations

Highlights:

• Officials accused of graft, nepotism, enabling tax evasion for personal gain
• Allegations involve 20-25 years of irregularities and bribery
• The 6 officials facing inquiry are also leading protests for NBR reforms
• ACC denies link between probe and ongoing movement by NBR officials
• Taxpayers allegedly forced to pay bribes for refunds

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to launch an inquiry against six officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), including the president of NBR Reform Unity Council, on allegations of corruption and nepotism in providing illegal benefits to individuals and institutions over the past 15 to 20 years.

ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain made the announcement today at a press briefing at the commission's headquarters in Dhaka.

The move comes amid NBR officials' ongoing movement under the banner of NBR Reform Unity Council, demanding the removal of the board's chairman and structural reforms of the board instead of its dissolution.

The officials facing inquiry are: AKM Badiul Alam, member (Income Tax Policy); Mirza Ashiq Rana, additional tax commissioner, Tax Zone-8, Dhaka; Mohammad Morshed Uddin Khan, joint tax commissioner, BCS Tax Academy; Monalisa Shahreen Sushmita, deputy tax commissioner, Tax Zone-16, Dhaka; Hasan Tarek Rikabder, additional commissioner, Audit, Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, VAT, Dhaka; and Sadhan Kumar Kundu, additional commissioner, Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate, Dhaka (South).

All six of them are among the officials leading the NBR protests. Among them, Rikabder is the president of the NBR Reform Unity Council.

ACC DG Akhtar said, "We have initiated the inquiry based on allegations that these officials facilitated tax evasion and extended various benefits to individuals and businesses through corrupt practices and nepotism."

When asked whether the inquiry was linked to the ongoing movement within the NBR, he denied any such connection. "There is no relation between the movement and the inquiry."

He added, "The decision was made following the recommendation of the preliminary scrutiny committee, which reviewed the complaints submitted to the commission."

Akhtar also added that if similar allegations arise against other individuals beyond the six already named, the ACC would examine those as well.

Regarding the allegations against the six, Akhtar said the officials are accused of abusing their positions over the past 20-25 years across various postings by enabling individuals and institutions to evade duties, VAT, and taxes.

In doing so, they personally profited while causing financial losses to the state, engaging in corruption, nepotism, and irregularities to amass illegal wealth beyond known sources of income, he said.

The ACC official continued, "Several unscrupulous members and officials of the National Board of Revenue are allegedly accepting large bribes in exchange for helping taxpayers evade taxes and duties. It has been reported that officials, in collusion with business owners, reduce the payable tax amounts for personal gain, depriving the government of substantial annual revenue."

He added that in some cases, when officials do not receive bribes, they resort to filing false tax evasion cases to harass business owners.

"Many taxpayers pay advance taxes, and some even pay more than required. According to regulations, any excess must be refunded after proper calculation.

"However, from our analysis and complaints from concerned individuals, it appears that receiving tax refunds often requires paying bribes or offering gifts worth at least half the refundable amount. There are allegations that tax officials personally pocket large sums during this refund process," Akhtar said.