NBR forms special unit to reduce risk of state security

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has formed 'Risk Management Central Technical Unit (RMCTU)' to reduce the risk of state security and duty evasion at all levels, including false declarations.

The main task of the RMCTU will be to increase technological assistance and install intelligence equipment to face all types of risks in duty collection and containing the incidents of duty evasion.

"That means the Unit will work for improving the supervising capacity to enhance revenue collection apart of importing chemical materials and machinery which are a threat to the State," said an NBR official wishing not to be named.

According to him, it is a five-member Unit, headed by director general of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) Dr M Shahidul Islam, reports UNB.

The other members of the Unit are first secretary of Customs Evaluation AKM Nurul Huda Azad, joint secretary of Benapole Customs House AA! Amimul Ihsan Khan, deputy commissioner of Rangpur Customs Excise and VAT Commissionarate M Saiful Huq and assistant commissioner of Sylhet Customs Excise and VAT Commissionarate Mohammad Zakaria.

The NBR formed the special unit for the next two years, according to an office order signed by the second secretary (customs and VAT administration-1).

It said the Unit has been formed with giving the officials concerned additional duty for next two years to reduce the trade cost and bring dynamism into trade through automation.

Another NBR senior official said the Unit will work to get rid of the risks in duty collection and duty evasion in land, rail, water and airports of the country.

"This Unit will set up modern equipment along with intelligence machinery in all ports for improving the supervision capabilities," he said.

 “It is not always possible to detect tax evasion tricks through manual system and that is why it is very necessary to install modern machinery that will determine the goods, their quantity and weight from a distance”, said the official.

Responding to a query, the official said although the NBR is taking assistance from various technologies, including ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data), this is negligible compared to the ground reality. "So, we need to improve the skill of the whole station."

He also said this unit will silently monitor the import and export activities from a distance and an IT unit will be involved with this unit so that the national security could be ensured alongside enhancing the revenue collection.