The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has requested
that the transfer (purchase, sale, and donation) of shares for seven leading
industrial groups in the country be suspended. This list includes Bashundhara,
Orion, Summit, Beximco, S Alam, NASSA, and Third Wave Technologies Limited
(Nagad Limited). NBR has sent a letter to the Department of Joint Stock
Companies and Firms requesting the suspension of share transfers for these
companies.
The Director General of the Central Intelligence
Cell (CIC) of NBR, Ahsan Habib, sent this letter last Sunday. However, the
matter became public on Wednesday. The letter states that under Section 223 of
the Income Tax Act of 2023, NBR reserves the right to take necessary measures
for interim freezing or seizure of assets to prevent tax evasion. According to
ongoing investigations, severe allegations of tax evasion and financial
irregularities exist against these companies.
Earlier, the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of NBR
began a special investigation to find tax evasion by Beximco, Bashundhara,
Summit, Orion, and NASSA Group owners. Simultaneously, the bank accounts of
five businessmen were summoned. This list includes Salman F. Rahman, Vice Chairman
of Beximco Group; Nazrul Islam Mazumder, Chairman of NASSA Group; Muhammed Aziz
Khan, Chairman of Summit Group; Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, Chairman of Bashundhara
Group; and Obaidul Karim, Chairman of Orion Group.
Letters have been sent to various banks, financial
institutions, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Directorate of
Savings, and other relevant departments requesting bank account information for
these five businessmen and associated individuals. Officials have stated that
the CIC's investigative activity will continue.
NBR has indicated that the CIC has completed a list
of potential tax evaders based on a review of various recently published news
articles and specific confidential information. In phases, actions will be
taken against these individuals and entities under the Income Tax Act and the
Money Laundering Act.
Earlier, Tax Region-15 summoned all bank accounts of
Mohammed Saiful Alam Masud from S Alam Group, along with those of his family
and business entities.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has
initiated an investigation against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's
private industry and investment advisor, Salman F Rahman. On Wednesday, ACC's
public relations officer, Akhtarul Islam, stated that Salman F Rahman is accused
of fraud in the stock market, manipulation of placement shares, and
embezzlement of thousands of crore taka from shareholders. He is also accused
of illegally exerting influence to secure loans totaling approximately BDT 360
billion from various government and private banks, along with allegations of
money laundering involving thousands of crore.
According to sources from the ACC, they began an
investigation in August 2023 against Mohammad Saiful Alam, the owner of S Alam
Group, over allegations of laundering 1 billion dollars. However, the
investigation was put on hold following a High Court order. It was later
resumed after observations from the Appellate Division. Meanwhile, the ACC's
investigation officer, Deputy Director Md Noor-e-Alam, has summoned all
transaction information and related documents regarding S Alam Group's bank
accounts from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).
Additionally, Deputy Director Yasir Arafat of the
ACC is investigating another allegation of loan fraud involving BDT 33 billion
from Islamic Bank, which holds a majority stake in S Alam Group. On August 13,
he sent a letter to the Governor of Bangladesh Bank and the Managing Director
of Islamic Bank, requesting various data related to loan fraud. In these letters,
the ACC has asked for information on 11 entities that took loans from Islamic
Bank under fictitious names.