Business Desk :
In the name of bonded warehouse facility, a conspiracy is going on to destroy country’s economy as some unscrupulous businessmen and corrupt customs officials under a syndicate are now engaged in looting money.
There are allegations that they (people concerned) are destroying the local industries and involved in illegal import under bonded warehouse facility showing the reason that factories are closed. Such a consignment has been seized at Benapole recently.
All the imported commodities under bonded warehouse facility are now being found in the black market.
Sources said the revenue of Tk 5000 crore earned every year is being pocketed among the syndicate, resulting in huge economic loss for the country.
It has been learnt that the organisations enjoying bonded warehouse facility are dodging taxes of Tk 5,000 crore each year due to irregularities and corruption. Those organisations get tax exemption in importing commodities on the condition of re-exporting. But ignoring the condition, the organisations are selling their products on the black market. In this way, the government is losing massive revenues.
People concerned, however, suggested employing international renowned audit organisation to stop such irregularities. The audit organisation will look into the matter that what amount of necessary product is required for a garment factories, whether the factory imports more product or not and the revenue issue.
If international standard audit organisation is appointed at the bonded warehouses, then extra Tk 5,000 crore will be earned as revenues than the existing amount of revenue, they said.
The bonded warehouses are passing crisis due to lack of manpower. Only six officers are working against 6000 bond licenses. Thus Dhaka Customs Bond Commissionerate is not being capable to monitor the bond licensed organisations regularly. Under this circumstance, the tax free import facility is being misused immensely.
Quoting sufferers, sources said there is no government attempt to stop such malpractice. SK Industries of Chittagong has imported duplex board in the name of their own factories though they were facilitated by bonded warehouse and barred for long time in importing. The organisation is aggressive in selling products in the open market though two consignments of the organisation were seized at Benapole port with dodging taxes of crore taka. Due to unanimous reason, NBR is silent though customs was involved in illegal importing. It has been known that though the factory had been closed for long time, some unscrupulous bond commissionerate officials along with bank officials are involved in corruption.
Approval has been given to SK Industries in importing 1657.374 metric tonnes of papers annually and question has been raised against the importers and bond commissionerates in importing such huge amount of papers.
It is learnt that commodities imported under bonded warehouse facility are being found on the black market.
There are allegations that imported commodities are being found on the black market under the assistance of bond commissionerate Shahidul Islam, who is leading the syndicate of some dishonest officials. It is noted that it is the responsibility of the bond commissionerate to check the malpractice of bonded facility.
The government does not have any mentionable effort to stop these, sources said. The Customs Bond Commissionerate is not sincere in monitoring these irregularities as they do not have sufficient manpower and instrument.
It was found in the investigation that certain groups in textile mill populated areas remove fabric, board and other things from factories. Local politicians are also involved in these dealings. To keep the politicians on their side, factory owners sell those products to them. Associates of these leaders sell these products in Fakir Banu market and other markets in Islampur and Narayanganj.
Bangladesh Knit Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president AKM Selim Osman said issuing bond license is an irregularity and at the same time banks are also being irresponsible by opening LC in favour of these organisations.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Atikul Islam suggested taking actions against those who import raw materials and sell in the market taking advantage of bonded warehouse facility. “We are ready to help the government anyway in this regard,” he added.
