NBR Official Punished for Assisting in Tk 75 Crore Tax Evasion

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News Desk: The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has punished Joint Tax Commissioner A. K. M. Shamsuzzaman for assisting in the tax evasion of Tk 75 crore by the two sons of controversial businessman Mohammad Saiful Alam (S Alam), Ashraful Alam and Asadul Alam. The order, signed by NBR Chairman Md. Abdur Rahman Khan, was issued recently.

According to a senior NBR official, the order stated that while serving as Joint Tax Commissioner at Chittagong, Range-4, Tax Zone-1, Shamsuzzaman failed to ensure that the Tk 75 crore tax due for the 2020-21 fiscal year from Ashraful Alam and Asadul Alam was deposited into the government treasury. Instead, under the pretext of verifying pay orders, he illegally caused revenue loss to the government.

Furthermore, he included false statements in the tax files of the two taxpayers to assist them. A departmental case was filed against him, and a personal hearing on November 6 reviewed his responses, the case file, and other documents, confirming the allegations.

As a result, under Rule 4(2)(g) of the regulations, Shamsuzzaman was demoted two pay grades—from a basic salary of Tk 61,200 to Tk 56,030. His previous suspension has also been revoked.

The order also noted that on October 17, 2024, Shamsuzzaman and two other officials, Additional Tax Commissioner Saiful Alam and Assistant Tax Commissioner Aminul Islam, were temporarily suspended over allegations of providing illegal benefits to Ashraful Alam and Asadul Alam.

Additionally, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating the three officials for allegedly legitimizing Tk 500 crore of undisclosed wealth belonging to the businessman’s sons.

Sources indicate that evidence gathered by NBR shows that Ashraful Alam and Asadul Alam were directly and indirectly involved in the Tk 75 crore tax evasion. The Ministry of Finance sent a letter to the ACC on October 19 to ensure legal action against them and others involved in the case.