2 Ctg customs officials jailed over import irregularities
The officials were sent to jail in a case filed by the ACC for tax evasion of Tk24 lakh by importing products under false declaration
A Chattogram court on Thursday sent two Chattogram Customs officials to jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over imports of goods under false declaration and for false representation of the Harmonised System (HS) codes.
The two customs officials are Rabiul Islam Mollah, former assistant revenue officer (section-B) of Chattogram Customs House, and Nasiruddin Mahmud Khan, revenue officer of Sub Team 12 and Additional Duty Administration Branch of the same organisation.
Other accused in the case are Iqbal Hossain Majumdar from Neptune Trading Agency, and Md Abdul Mannan Chowdhury of Bonolota Shipping Agency Limited.
The Harmonised System is a standardised numerical method of classifying traded products. It is used by customs authorities around the world to identify products when assessing duties and taxes and for gathering statistics.
Public prosecutor of the ACC, Kazi Sanwar Ahmed Lavlu, said both officials of the Chattogram Custom House had appealed for bail in the Metropolitan Session Judge's court on Thursday but their appeal was denied and they were sent to jail. The passports of the two have also been confiscated so that they cannot leave the country.
According to the ACC, the two officials of the Chattogram Customs House conspired with two C&F agents in December 2016 and brought products under false declaration to avoid paying taxes amounting to Tk24 lakh.
In November last year, the Deputy Director of ACC Integrated District Office-Chattogram, Md Abu Sayeed, filed a case as plaintiff against the customs house officials and C&F agents.
