ACC launches inquiries into five more senior NBR officers linked to protests

Those being investigated have been prominently involved in the “complete shutdown” protests

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched fresh inquiries into five more officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), including commissioners, over allegations of corruption.

They are Kazi Muhammad Ziauddin, Dhaka East commissioner of customs, excise and VAT, Md Kamruzzaman, commissioner at Benapole Land Port, Mamun Mia, deputy tax commissioner, Sehela Siddiqua, additional tax commissioner, and Lokman Ahmed, tax inspector.

Akhtarul Islam, deputy director (public relations), disclosed the development on Thursday.

All five officials under the new inquiry were involved in last month’s protest under the banner of the NBR Reform Unity Council, which called for the removal of the agency’s chairman. Sehela Siddiqua served as spokesperson for the council.

Earlier, the ACC had announced on Sunday and Tuesday that it had initiated similar inquiries against 11 other NBR officials. Many of those individuals were identified as leaders of the “complete shutdown” movement.

According to ACC documents, “Certain corrupt members and officials are alleged to have facilitated large-scale tax evasion in exchange for hefty bribes. Taxpayers were allowed to underreport taxes, enabling both the officials and business owners to profit illegally.”

The report added, “This malpractice results in massive annual losses to state revenue. In some cases, officials allegedly harass business owners with fabricated tax evasion cases when bribes were refused.”

The NBR staffers suspended their week-long pen-down strike, sit-ins, and two-day “complete shutdown” on Sunday night, returning to work the following day.

The government took action on the second day of the shutdown, declaring NBR services “essential” and issuing stern warnings to protesting officers to resume duties.

Amid this, the ACC began inquiries against six protest leaders, while the government announced the formation of a five-member advisory committee to resolve the crisis.

Later in the day, a breakthrough came during talks between the finance advisor and leaders of several major business associations, who acted as mediators.

Following “positive assurances” given at the meeting, the business leaders convinced the NBR Reform Unity Council to withdraw the shutdown.