NBR turns down Bashundhara plea for withdrawal

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Doulot Akter Mala
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) Sunday turned down a plea of Bashundhara Industrial Complex for withdrawal of the income tax evasion case against them as it contradicted with existing income tax laws.
The revenue board has decided not to accept the request of the business conglomerate in a board meeting Sunday, officials said.
"Under the existing law, the NBR does not have any scope to entertain the appeal of Bashundhara Group although they expressed desire to pay all taxes," said a senior tax official.
In 2007, the caretaker government filed a tax evasion case against Bashundhara Group chairman, his wife
and three sons. In the case, they have been sentenced to eight years in jail. Later, the court granted their appeal for bail in four tax-evasion cases.
"NBR do not have any authority to give such exemption for the cases that already received the verdict of court," the tax official said.
There are 31 such cases including Bashudhara case which will have to take either special lenience of President or appeal in higher court, he said.
Earlier, the NBR also refused another request of the former BNP lawmaker Mosaddek Ali Falu.
However, there are another 42 tax evasion cases under trial in the court. The government can withdraw those cases before verdict is given, he added.
Asked about the issue, NBR chairman Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed said: "We have discussed the issue in the board meeting. It requires further scrutiny."
There are legal complexities to settle the issue, he said.
On July, 2007, the government filed tax evasion cases under emergency power rules against Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family members.