Step up efforts to check duty evasion

National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan on Thursday instructed the customs intelligence team to intensify its efforts to check smuggling and duty evasion.

He also asked them to take stern action to prevent abuse of duty-free facility under the bonded warehouse scheme of the customs.

The NBR chief, also senior secretary of Internal Resources Division (IRD), gave the directives while visiting the customs intelligence and investigation directorate (CIID).

Moinul Khan, director general of CIID, made a presentation on overall activity of the wing at its conference room.

In the presentation, CIID revealed information about gold, currencies, drugs, cigarettes, weapons and posh cars it seized in 2017.

The NBR chairman said this was his first visit to any customs office after taking over charge.

He appreciated 'courageous and sincere' efforts of CIID amid several challenges and threats.

He assured CIID that he will talk with the authority concerned to solve its different problems including shortage of manpower, rationing and security allowances.

He said the customs intelligence officials will be rewarded for performing their duty sincerely.

The NBR chief also expressed his desire to be present during a large-scale crackdown of CIID.

NBR member (customs and VAT administration) Md Rezaul Hasan also attended the programme.

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