Business Desk :
Hundreds of trucks loaded with foreign papers worth crores of taka are entering the city’s Nayabazar paper market in the dead of night every day under police cordon.
Some nine desperate syndicates in the city’s Nayabazar paper market have long been importing foreign papers from different countries across the globe under duty-free facilities with false declaration.
Our correspondent while visiting Nayabazar paper market observed that some trucks loaded with smuggled foreign papers waited for unloading. A large number of labourers were busy unloading the goods from the trucks.
It was learnt that during the whole night the labourers carried the goods to warehouses and in the broad daylight the unscrupulous traders distributed it in different places of the country.
Nine syndicates have long been controlling the paper business by managing customs and police officials. Now they became desperate due to lack of proper monitoring by customs and VAT authorities.
Some paper traders of Nayabazar area told our correspondent that the businessmen brought foreign papers worth crores of taka from different countries with false declaration. The syndicate members are taking duty-free facilities from the government to import paper. The smuggled papers are being unloaded in the dead of night in the city’s Nurjahan Market of Nayabazar, they said.
The traders have brought paper loaded trucks to their warehouse at Nayabazar paper market at night by giving a large amount of money to the customs authority.
During an investigation, it was found that Zia Trading, Sujon Enterprise, Kabir and Brothers, Ainul Haque Paper, Golden Board International, Anni Trade International, Momtaj and Sons, Sohel Trading International and Mohsin and Brothers of Noorjahan paper market at Nayabazar were involved with the illegal trading.
The nine syndicates of Nayabazar loaded different types of imported papers to small-sized vans and rickshaw without VAT challan and factory challan. Traders in different places across the country are purchasing the smuggled papers at low price.
It was learnt that traders of Noorjahan market are selling the imported papers to the retailers without legal challan and VAT receipt. There is no drive of Customs, VAT and taxes authorities in this regard. The government has been deprived of huge revenue earnings.
After visiting Noorjahan paper market, it was found that art card, art paper and duplex board imported from Indonesia, Korea, China and India and famous brand paper like Krishna, Hansol, Gora, Panda, Nimbo, Dragon and Sreya are available in the market.
Some sellers and buyers told the correspondent that a paper importing house recently involved with a smuggling group in the name of importing paper from India and Indonesia. Now the house is importing Krishna brand Indian paper from Benapole border. Two months back, the customs authority seized two trucks paper while they were trying to sell the paper in open market evading duties. But Customs authority could not found actual trace of the company.
Bond Commissionerate has not yet taken any move to stop the sale of smuggled foreign papers. It was learnt that the paper importing houses of old Dhaka are under the jurisdiction of Division No. 4 of Bond Commissionerate.
General paper traders said that the nine syndicates are selling foreign papers to the retailers without paying duties to the Bond Commissionerate.
Sources concerned said Kotwali division of Bond Commissionerate is situated at Bangsal which is half kilometre away from Nayabazar paper market. But the state-owned organisation did not take any move to control it.
When contacted, Deputy Police Commissioner of Lalbagh Division said, “Police are working to prevent the activities of foreign paper smugglers of largest paper market in the city’s Nayabazar. Those who are behind it will not be spared.”
