Bangladesh News

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to file tax evasion cases against former MP Mossadeque Ali Falu, former state minister for planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and five others.

The NBR on October 17 at a board meeting decided to file cases against the seven alleged tax evaders.

The five others are former whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah, former MPs Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan and Habibur Rahman Mollah, BNP Sylhet unit leader Ariful Haque Chowdhury and former chief conservator of forest Munshi Anwarul Islam.

All the seven are accused of concealing their actual income and providing fabricated information in their wealth statements and income tax returns.

“We’ll file cases soon against the persons for tax evasion,” an NBR high official said yesterday asking not to be named.

MOSSADEQUE ALI FALU
Mossadeque Ali Falu allegedly concealed actual wealth he owned from 1996-97 to 2006-07 fiscal years and provided wrong information during these 11 tax years.

According to an NBR assessment, Falu hid his bank deposit of Tk 89.33 lakh, bank interest of Tk 2.08 lakh and house rent of Tk 11.29 lakh in the fiscal year 2006-07.

He also concealed in his wealth statement Tk 2.87 crore, which he invested in building ‘Khaleda Zia Geriatric Home’ at Ashulia, Tk 1.14 crore, which he invested in building a retreat house there, Tk 1.85 crore bank deposit, Tk 10.5 lakh house rent and Tk 5.2 lakh bank interest in FY 06, the assessment says.

Falu also hid Tk 2.6 crore bank deposit in FY 05, Tk 28.5 lakh in FY 04, Tk 48.21 lakh in FY 03, Tk 24.11 lakh in FY 02, and concealed house rent in all the 11 years from FY 97 to FY 07, the assessment adds.

Largest Taxpayers Unit (LTU) Commissioner Nurul Amin sought permission to file cases and the board approved it unanimously.

MOHIUDDIN KHAN ALAMGIR
The NBR found that former state minister for planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has concealed in his income tax returns and wealth statements Tk 1.28 crore fixed deposit, Tk 1.5 crore bank deposit and Tk 1.7 lakh bank interest in 25 years from FY 82 to FY 07.

He also hid Tk 31.62 lakh bank deposit in his statements during the period, the Board found.

During the corresponding period, Mohiuddin invested Tk 87.38 lakh in constructing three buildings in Chandpur and Tk 5.10 lakh in procuring farmland, which he did not mention in his income tax return.

ABUL HASNAT ABDULLAH
Former whip and Awami League leader Abul Hasnat Abdullah allegedly concealed $39,000 equivalent to Tk 27.3 lakh, which he deposited to his personal locker, Tk 27.71 lakh bank deposit, gold ornament weighing 40 tolah, Tk 23.55 lakh, which he invested in constructing a five-storey building, and Tk 5.5 Lakh of furniture and agricultural revenue in his income tax return and wealth statement in FY 07.

He concealed the wealth in his last five fiscal years and did not submit any income tax returns in FY 03 and FY 04.

ABDUL WADUD BHUIYAN
According to an NBR assessment, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan hid Tk 1.37 crore in his wealth statement which he invested in developing different infrastructures at his village in Feni in FY 07.

He allegedly concealed income of Tk 1.67 crore bank deposit in different banks and Tk 6.7 lakh allowances in his wealth statements.

He also concealed in his wealth statement the income of Tk 15 lakh and farmlands of Tk 14 lakh in FY 2005-06.

He also did not submit any income tax returns from FY 03 to FY 07 despite being a member of parliament, the board says.

HABIBUR RAHMAN MOLLAH
Former AL MP Habibur Rahman Mollah concealed income of Tk 1.4 crore which he invested in constructing a four-storey building, Tk 87 lakh house rent, Tk 65.81 lakh bank deposit and a private car worth Tk 97 lakh during his 13 tax years from FY 97 to FY 07, according to NBR.

He also provided wrong information in his income tax returns during the period, the NBR identified.

ARIFUL HAQUE CHOWDHURY
According to an NBR assessment, BNP Sylhet unit leader Ariful Haque Chowdhury concealed income of Tk 39.36 bank deposit, £3,698, investment in procuring a flat worth Tk 22.46 lakh in his income tax return and wealth statement in FY 06.

He also allegedly hid investment of Tk 6.19 lakh to procure a private car, procure land worth Tk 6.6 lakh in FY 03.

The NBR assessment found that the political leader provided wrong information in his income tax returns and wealth statements from FY 03 to FY 06.

MUNSHI ANWARUL ISLAM
The NBR found that former chief conservator of forest Munshi Anwarul Islam concealed Tk 91 lakh bank deposit during 11 tax years from 1996-97 to 2006-07.

He also hid Tk 19,500 investment as he procured a private firearm and Tk 1.5 lakh he gained from his daily newspaper “PathJatar”.

Sources said along with the seven, the NBR has so far decided to file cases against 46 people and 31 cases have already been filed.

Of the 31 cases, the court delivered verdict in 21 cases and seven are under process, while the High Court stayed three others.