Staff Correspondent
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has directed 17 high-ranking officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to submit their wealth statements. This action was taken after the ACC’s initial investigation found evidence of assets disproportionate to their known legal sources of income. ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain revealed this information at a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, on Tuesday.
The Director General stated that a primary inquiry and review found information regarding significant wealth held in the names of the officials or their family members that is inconsistent with their legitimate income sources. Consequently, they have been ordered to provide a detailed account of their assets and liabilities. The list includes officials holding crucial positions such as Member, former Additional Director General, Joint Commissioner, and Additional Commissioner, indicating the investigation targets a wide range of seniority within the revenue administration.
The officials under scrutiny include Member Md. Lutful Azim, former Additional Director General (CIC) Md. Alamgir Hossain, Joint Commissioner Md. Tariq Hasan, Additional Commissioner Sadhan Kumar Kundu, and Commissioner of Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate Kazi Md. Zia Uddin. Other notable names are Railway Customs Commissioner Md. Kamruzzaman, Additional Commissioner of the Large Taxpayer Unit Abdur Rashid Mia, and Up-Commissioner of Tax Zone-16 Mohammad Shihabul Islam.
The ACC has clarified that the wealth statements have been demanded based on evidence of asset discrepancies uncovered during the initial probe. Necessary legal actions will be taken after verifying the submitted information. This move to investigate such a large group of senior officials simultaneously is being viewed as a major and assertive step by the anti-graft body, signaling a intensified crackdown on corruption within the powerful revenue authority.