NBR chairman urges businesses to act as 'whistleblowers' against irregularities
National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan has acknowledged that some NBR instructions are not being properly implemented at the field office level, particularly in customs offices, creating challenges for businesses.
He urged businesses to act as 'whistleblowers' to curb these irregularities by informing the authorities.
"Why are you tolerating these things? The more you tolerate, the more officials will engage in irregularities. Yet, their salaries are paid with your money, and they are not following government directions," he said at a programme held at the NBR headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Wednesday.
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The programme, organised by the NBR, was titled 'Meet the Business.'
He added, "If you don't blow the whistle, the situation won't improve. However, we have recently been receiving reports from whistleblowers, and as you have seen, punitive actions have been taken against a significant number of officials."
About 100 representatives from the Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) attended the programme and raised issues they face at the field office level.
chairman advised businesses to submit complaints digitally through the Grievance Mechanism, assuring that the NBR will take necessary action after proper investigation.
He expressed dissatisfaction that, despite repeated instructions to customs houses to conduct valuation of imported goods based on transaction value, they deny and continue to use the 90-day record value for customs valuation.
"We have said that if it is truly problematic to value goods based on transaction value, then record value may be used. But they are not following this," he said.
Emphasising the need to move away from this mindset, he added, "I will collect taxes based on the law. There is no need to forcibly collect taxes outside the legal framework."
He further instructed all offices, "I don't want to hear how much an office collects. I want to know whether the work assigned under the law is being carried out through due process."
The programme was conducted by FICCI Executive Director TIN Nurul Kabir. Md Mahbub ur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Bangladesh and Director of FICCI, and senior NBR officials also attended the programme.
