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Customs house loses revenue income |
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July 10, 2000
Chittagong (UNB) - Chittagong Customs House, the main revenue earning body, incurred a loss of about Tk 300 crore in revenue income in the last fiscal year due mainly to administrative inactivity and rampant smuggling. Concerned sources said the revenue earning fell short of the target even after the target was downsized before the end of the fiscal. The Customs House fixed the target of revenue earning at Tk 7,800 crore at the beginning of the fiscal year, which was revised downwards at Tk 6,384 crore considering its low collection rate. But the total collection at the end of the year stood at Tk 6,082 crore including Tk 3,063.99 crore from tax and Tk 2,206.65 crore from VAT. The source said the earning is Tk 1,718 crore less than the original estimate and over Tk 300 crore less than that of the previous fiscal year. In 1998-99 fiscal year, the earning was Tk 6,415 crore. An official source said the large-scale smuggling was mainly responsible for the decline in the revenue earning from the authorized imports. Meanwhile, about 1100 writ cases challenging the tax-levy have been pending with the High Court which discouraged revenue collection drive of the tax officials. Go-slow tactics and work-abstentions adopted by the officials following a tussle between an official and the City Corporation Mayor last year, and probe on alleged corruption of over 50 customs officials by the National Board of Revenue put dampers on the collection drive. The officials said if the situation persists this year, the highest revenue earner in the customs department would again fail to achieve the target. |