Staff Reporter :
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has frozen all bank accounts of 27 travel agencies after receiving allegations of tax evasion against them, sources said.
The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the NBR found the evidences that the travel agencies evaded tax amounting to Tk 50 crore in the recent time
A source close to the NBR told The New Nation yesterday (Friday) that the Revenue Board had already sent letters to all banks and financial institutions with request to freeze all bank accounts of the travel agencies.
It also cautioned the banks against withdrawal and transfer of money from the accounts of the said 27 travel agencies and all its directors until further notice.
The Revenue Board also sought statements of the transactions made so far by the directors of those travel agencies.
“We have sent letters to each agency asking them to pay tax with penalty, otherwise, their accounts will remain frozen,” he said, adding, “These accounts will be made operative on payment of taxes with penalty”.
NBR Chairman Md. Ghulam Hussain admitted of the actions taken against the travel agencies. But he could not give the actual number of the agencies facing music.
“Some of my officials came to me with the issue and solicited my opinion regarding it. After discussion, I asked them to look into the matter,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) sent a letter to NBR, seeking apology for dodging tax. ATAB claimed that tax evasion was an unexpected incidence and it occurred due to mistake. The ATAB leaders had met with Finance Minister
Abul Maal Abdul Muhith for talks about the matter. The Minister reportedly assured them of resolving the problems.
ATAB President SN Manzur Murshed Mahbub said that the incidence was the product of unexpected mistakes made by the tax lawyers.
Mahbub said, the agencies pay 37.5 percent corporate tax and they will be in troubles if 50 percent penalty is imposed.
The ATAB boss solicited NBR’s cooperation to save the sector.
A total of 2,500 travel agencies are doing their business across the country. Evidences of tax evasion have been found against 27 agencies, the CIC is investigating into the files of the other agencies.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has frozen all bank accounts of 27 travel agencies after receiving allegations of tax evasion against them, sources said.
The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the NBR found the evidences that the travel agencies evaded tax amounting to Tk 50 crore in the recent time
A source close to the NBR told The New Nation yesterday (Friday) that the Revenue Board had already sent letters to all banks and financial institutions with request to freeze all bank accounts of the travel agencies.
It also cautioned the banks against withdrawal and transfer of money from the accounts of the said 27 travel agencies and all its directors until further notice.
The Revenue Board also sought statements of the transactions made so far by the directors of those travel agencies.
“We have sent letters to each agency asking them to pay tax with penalty, otherwise, their accounts will remain frozen,” he said, adding, “These accounts will be made operative on payment of taxes with penalty”.
NBR Chairman Md. Ghulam Hussain admitted of the actions taken against the travel agencies. But he could not give the actual number of the agencies facing music.
“Some of my officials came to me with the issue and solicited my opinion regarding it. After discussion, I asked them to look into the matter,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) sent a letter to NBR, seeking apology for dodging tax. ATAB claimed that tax evasion was an unexpected incidence and it occurred due to mistake. The ATAB leaders had met with Finance Minister
Abul Maal Abdul Muhith for talks about the matter. The Minister reportedly assured them of resolving the problems.
ATAB President SN Manzur Murshed Mahbub said that the incidence was the product of unexpected mistakes made by the tax lawyers.
Mahbub said, the agencies pay 37.5 percent corporate tax and they will be in troubles if 50 percent penalty is imposed.
The ATAB boss solicited NBR’s cooperation to save the sector.
A total of 2,500 travel agencies are doing their business across the country. Evidences of tax evasion have been found against 27 agencies, the CIC is investigating into the files of the other agencies.
