Ten imported items identified as sources of revenue loss

FE Team | Published: March 25, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Doulot Akter Mala The tax intelligence team has identified 10 items as possible sources of revenue loss and sought physical inspection of the containers that carry 25 per cent of such products, officials said. The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) detected the imported products that include hand sewing, needles, safety pins, lighter flints, staples, hair grip, erasers, mathematical instrument boxes, tailoring tapes, scissors, sewing and machine needles. After receiving allegations over the import of these products, the CIC recently instructed the Inland Container Depot (ICD) of Kamalapur to conduct physical inspection, in the presence of CIC officials, of the containers containing one-fourth of the products. In response to this instruction, the ICD Dhaka directed its officials to implement the CIC order. Talking to the FE Saturday, ICD Commissioner (acting) AKM Nuruzzaman said usually importers bring those items with other products, but not on a single shipment basis. "The items usually consist of five to 15 per cent of total imported products in such containers," he said. He smelt a conspiracy of the vested quarters to release the products easily from other ports. "We have inspected four or five of such containers but found no valid ground for detecting the products as it involves an insignificant amount of revenue loss", he said. A senior CIC official, however, said the NBR has received several complaints about irregularities involving the import of the products that fall under the category of duty structure between the range of 12 per cent and 25 per cent. There are allegations of releasing the items showing false HS code to evade duties, he added. "First, we have given instructions to inspect each and every container which has one or more such products. But following the request of the ICD in consideration of delays about releasing containers, the CIC later relaxed the rules," he said. The tax intelligence team wants to scrutinise these products in all customs houses but cannot do this because of shortage of manpower as the CIC has only four customs officials to do the job, he added. Officials said a majority of the concerned products are used for cutting and sewing purposes that different commercial importers import and supply to shops and local industries.