Corruption rampant among customs officials at ZIA
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Nazmul Ahsan
Illegal foreign goods continue to come into the country everyday in connivance with corrupt customs officials at the Zia International Airport, according to an intelligence report of the government.
The government is being deprived of large amount of revenue income due to corrupt practices by a section officials and employees of the customs department at the ZIA, the report added.
The intelligence agency strongly recommended official action against the corrupt customs officials.
'The extent of corruption and irregularities by customs officials and employees now posted at the Zia International Airport is quite aggressive and it is getting out of control day by day,' the intelligence report said.
'Huge quantity of illegal goods is coming in the country everyday in connivance with these corrupt customs men as they earn illegal money from the inbound commercial passengers,' the report added.
The intelligence report, expressing dismay over lack of official action against the corrupt officials at Zia, said, 'no action has ever been taken against these officials despite their higher authorities being informed about their misconduct and corruption.'
The report has recently been submitted to the Finance Minister AMA Muhith and the National Board of Revenue Chairman Nasir Uddin Ahmed for immediate action.
The report has cited a number of specific allegations and irregularities indulged in by some customs officials at Zia.
The irregularities are- assessing duty at lower than actual rate, imposing duty on less then actual quantity of taxable goods, letting commercial passengers go through Green Channel despite their possessing of taxable foreign goods, helping to get the contraband goods released and taking illegal money from innocent passengers through harassment.
All the above mentioned irregularities are taking place in exchange for bribe, according to the report.
Presently, about 450 customs officials and employees are posted at Dhaka customs house. The revenue income generated by Dhaka Customs House in 2008-2009 fiscal was about Tk 21 billion, sources said.
The policymakers of successive governments have long been assuring to make the Zia International Airport corruption and hassle free. But nothing has happened on the ground.
"They (customs officials) have proved to be omnipotent as no government has so far succeeded in establishing a clean and hassle-free Zia," a finance ministry official told the FE.
"What is needed first is commitment to establish an efficient and corruption-free customs department."
He, said, in most cases ministers and government secretaries even don't go-through the important documents, report, either it from Prime Minister's Office or from Intelligence Department.
However, a member of the NBR, when asked, said taking action against corrupt customs officials nowadays has become tough as the latter maintain strong links with the powerful people.
Illegal foreign goods continue to come into the country everyday in connivance with corrupt customs officials at the Zia International Airport, according to an intelligence report of the government.
The government is being deprived of large amount of revenue income due to corrupt practices by a section officials and employees of the customs department at the ZIA, the report added.
The intelligence agency strongly recommended official action against the corrupt customs officials.
'The extent of corruption and irregularities by customs officials and employees now posted at the Zia International Airport is quite aggressive and it is getting out of control day by day,' the intelligence report said.
'Huge quantity of illegal goods is coming in the country everyday in connivance with these corrupt customs men as they earn illegal money from the inbound commercial passengers,' the report added.
The intelligence report, expressing dismay over lack of official action against the corrupt officials at Zia, said, 'no action has ever been taken against these officials despite their higher authorities being informed about their misconduct and corruption.'
The report has recently been submitted to the Finance Minister AMA Muhith and the National Board of Revenue Chairman Nasir Uddin Ahmed for immediate action.
The report has cited a number of specific allegations and irregularities indulged in by some customs officials at Zia.
The irregularities are- assessing duty at lower than actual rate, imposing duty on less then actual quantity of taxable goods, letting commercial passengers go through Green Channel despite their possessing of taxable foreign goods, helping to get the contraband goods released and taking illegal money from innocent passengers through harassment.
All the above mentioned irregularities are taking place in exchange for bribe, according to the report.
Presently, about 450 customs officials and employees are posted at Dhaka customs house. The revenue income generated by Dhaka Customs House in 2008-2009 fiscal was about Tk 21 billion, sources said.
The policymakers of successive governments have long been assuring to make the Zia International Airport corruption and hassle free. But nothing has happened on the ground.
"They (customs officials) have proved to be omnipotent as no government has so far succeeded in establishing a clean and hassle-free Zia," a finance ministry official told the FE.
"What is needed first is commitment to establish an efficient and corruption-free customs department."
He, said, in most cases ministers and government secretaries even don't go-through the important documents, report, either it from Prime Minister's Office or from Intelligence Department.
However, a member of the NBR, when asked, said taking action against corrupt customs officials nowadays has become tough as the latter maintain strong links with the powerful people.