Al Amin :
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) claimed that the M/S PRM Fashions Pvt. Ltd, a Chattogram-based company, has evaded over Tk 23 crore duties by using bonded warehouse facilities.
The company evaded Tk 23,32,13,096,18 from the year of 2018 to 2020 through hiding information of imported raw materials of the apparel company, according to an official document of the NBR.
The document also said that the NBR would take legal action against the company for the final settlement of the case, if it fails to deposit the money or proper documents in a certain time.
It said that as per the database of the Central Intelligence Cell of the NBR, the company exported goods worth over $83.95 lakh in 2018 and 2019 but the account opening branch (One Bank LTD, Agrabad Branch) of the company showed it exported goods worth around $72.13 lakh.
That means the company hides information of rest of $11.82 or Tk 10.04 crore during the period.
Besides, the value of the taxable fabrics and accessories illegally removed from the factory, which were imported by taking bonded warehouse facility, is Tk 24.60 crore and the government has lost revenue worth over Tk 23.32 crore against the goods, the document read.
The company has committed offence by violating of the rules of the Bonded Warehouse Act, it said.
AKM Mahbubur Rahman, Commissioner of the Customs Bond Commissionerate, Chattogram, told The New Nation on Monday, “The finding is a part of our regular special investigation and it will continue.”
“Along with taking legal action, we will recommend the NBR to lodge money laundering case against the company, if it fails to submit proper documents within a certain period,” he added.
Dr Ahsan H Mansur, Executive Director of the Policy Research Institute (PRI), said, “Such kind of incidents is happening frequently in the country, which is absolutely harmful for any industry. It must be stopped by hard-handed.”
The licensing authorities should scrutinize documents properly, when they issue license against any company, he said.
He further said the NBR should introduce a “Central Bonded Warehouse” in order to facilitate the small companies and to stop such kind of incidents.
“Many name-based companies are taking bonded warehouse facilities and laundering crores of money every year, it must be stopped,” he added.
