Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) will launch a massive drive to check whether the medical equipment, which were imported with tax rebate facilities, are being used in providing free medical services as promised.
National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Nojibur Rahman came up with the disclosure after visiting the CIID office in the capital yesterday. He is the first NBR chairman who visited the CIID office in last 10 years.
“We will monitor whether the medical equipment imported with tax exemption facilities are being used for free medical services for the people or business purpose,” said NBR chairman while talking to the reporters after visiting the CIID.
The hospitals are subject to provide free medical services to a certain percentage of their respective patients if they have availed of the tax exemption facilities in importing medical equipment.
Rahman said: “We have provided tax rebate facilities to some private clinics and hospitals in importing some modern medical equipment. They got the tax exemption at a condition that the equipment will be used for free public service, not for business purpose.”
He asked the CIID to form a committee to investigate as to whether the equipment are being properly used in line with the condition.
The individuals who imported medical equipment at their own personal initiative without taking any tax rebate facilities will not come under the surveillance. The CIID will launch the drive only in those hospitals that took the tax rebate facilities with a promise to provide free medical service.
Legal actions will be taken against those hospitals and clinics if found to have violated the promise, NBR chairman warned.
“At the same time we will try to settle the pending cases, related to tax and income tax, quickly to increase revenue in government exchequer. Our calculation showed that huge revenue will be included in the government treasury if the pending cases are settled,” he said.
CIID seizes gold bars worth Tk400cr
Meanwhile, CIID seized gold bars weighing around 817kg and worth around Tk400 crore over the last one and half years.
At the same time, criminal cases were filed against 122 smugglers of which 108 were held, according to CIID.
Of the seized gold, 105kg was recovered from Bangladesh Biman on April 4, 43kg from air freight carrier on December 10 and 61.5kg from a house located in Purana Paltan.
Foreign currency equivalent to a total of Tk27.8 crore in the fiscal year 2013-14 and Tk15.5 crore in 2014-15 had also been recovered. Indian counterfeit rupee, dollar, riyal, dinar, dirham and Bangladeshi Taka were among the seized currencies.
The entry of foreign cigarette into the country rose significantly, showed the CIID data. A total of 42.5 lakh cigarette sticks have been seized over the last one and half years the market value of which was worth Tk4 crore.
CIID detected tax evasion of Tk81 crore from July 2013 to till now.
