ACC prosecutes Jatiya Party’s Talha for Tk 18 million tax evasion

Former customs house commissioner of Khulna’s Khalishpur Md Nurul Islam has also been charged for aiding Talha.

ACC Deputy Director Abul Hossain lodged the case with Khalishpur Police Station on Thursday, said the corruption watchdog’s spokesperson Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.

Talha and Islam evaded about Tk 18 million in taxes and embezzled that amount through a trading company owned by the former MP, ACC Assistant Director Md Mahtab Uddin, who investigated case, told bdnews24.com.

Jatiya Party Vice-Chairman Talha, who was elected MP from Natore-1 seat in the ninth parliamentary election, owns Portland Services and former customs commissioner Islam is currently an officer on special duty attached to the public administration ministry.

A tax evasion case was started against Talha’s company in 2009. Though evidence had corroborated the charges, the then commissioner of Customs Excise and VAT Appeal Tribunal Nurul Islam declared that the accusations were not proved.

An ACC official said Portland Services imported liquor including beer and whiskey and toiletries duty-free to sell to sailors of foreign ships at Mongla Port.

But the company aided by customs officials provided false documents showing the items were sold to the sailors, but actually the liquor was sold to vendors inside the country, according to the official.