NEWS reports in a national daily on Sunday said RAB has shown interest to involve the specialized law enforcement agency for realizing Value Added Tax (VAT) to help the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to seal tax evasion resorted to by dishonest businessmen. The force’s Director General (DG) in a letter to NBR Chairman recently made the proposal saying that VAT evasion tendency of people is only growing and the government is losing huge revenue every year. In such a situation involving RAB in efforts to stop such loopholes will be highly rewarding. RAB headquarters have therefore suggested amendment to the VAT Act to involve the forces with Customs and VAT officials so that they can take part in mobile courts in accelerating the government’s revenue collection. The DG is quoted in the report as saying that RAB personnel are already taking part in various anti-adulteration drives and extending their service to VAT collection will enormously benefit the government.
But to many as it appears the proposal has landed as a big surprise. RAB has been tasked to combat terrorism and such other crimes to give safety to the people. But in most cases their activities such as indiscriminate arrest of people and putting them to crossfire without allowing a court of law to adjudge their fate have already made RAB a controversial force in many respects. They are blamed for toll collection and involvement in such other financial crimes using unrestrained power and political cover of the government; which is using the force to stay in power.
It is no secret that businessmen and chamber leaders have already made sharp reaction to the proposal as they wonder why they want to involve in tax collection. The proposal has already created more misgivings in business community as sounded by a former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) and a former president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA). In their view such involvement is bound to create severe tension and insecurity in the business community. It may result in unleashing panic forcing people to bargain and settle with the force instead of clearing dues with NBR officials.
The question is what else the RAB must be asked to do? The people are too harshly treated in the name of fighting terrorism and maintaining law and order but with little success. RAB represents the power of gun and cross-fire. If gun power and power of cross-fire are to be used for VAT collection then it should be expected that the designated authorities should be shut down. The Board of Revenue has to go.
