Allegations of illegal wealth accumulation against Matiur Rahman, recently removed as president of the National Board of Revenue's Customs, Excise and VAT Appellate Tribunal, and Quazi Abu Mahmud Faisal, a first secretary of the NBR transferred to Bogra Taxes Zone, has prompted the Anti-Corruption Commission to spring into action.
The graft watchdog wrote to various sub-registry offices across the country, including Dhaka, on Sunday requesting information about assets owned by Matiur and his spouse.
Meanwhile, in its investigation into allegations against Faisal, accused of amassing illegal assets of hundreds of crores, the ACC has already uncovered information about immovable and movable assets worth approximately Tk16.41 crore. Furthermore, a three-member ACC team is working on tracking more of his assets.
ACC officials said Matiur, now attached to the Internal Resources Division of the Ministry of Finance, and his family members are being investigated for immovable assets across the country. Letters signed by ACC Deputy Director Md Anwar Hossain had been sent to sub-registrars in various districts, they added.
An ACC director general, on condition of anonymity, said travel bans had already been imposed on Matiur, his wife Laila Kaniz, chairman of Raipura upazila parishad in Narsingdi, and their son Ahmed Tawfiqur Rahman Arnab, following an ACC request.
The senior official said Laila had recently attended an upazila parishad meeting in public, while Matiur had also gone to work at the Ministry of Finance in person. Though the DG could not confirm if he regularly attended office, he believes Matiur is still in the country.
On the other hand, the NBR's First Secretary (Taxes, Legal and Enforcement) and Additional Tax Commissioner Quazi Abu Mahmud Faisal was transferred to Bogra on Sunday. He was assigned to Inspection Range 1 of the Taxes Zone, Bogra.
The ACC has so far uncovered immovable and movable assets worth over Tk16 crore under various names, which a court on June 27 ordered to be confiscated and frozen, thus granting an ACC application.
Faisal's immovable assets
Faisal purchased a plot worth Tk4.5 crore in the name of his mother-in-law, Momtaz Begum, in Meradia, Dhaka. He also bought a 2,990sqft flat on the ninth floor of the Rupayan Swapno Niloy building on Siddheswari Road, Ramna, in his father-in-law Ahmed Ali's name, with a 238sqft car parking space, paying Tk1 crore from his account.
This NBR official bought a five-katha plot in Bara Kathaldia mouza for Tk75 lakh under his wife Afsana Jesmin's name. He bought another five-katha plot in the same mouza jointly with his wife for Tk34.07 lakh, as stated in the deed.
In Kamta mouza, Rupganj, he bought a 200.17sqm plot in his wife's name reportedly for Tk7.42 lakh.
Matiur Rahman removed from NBR following controversy
Now NBR first secretary faces action for swindling 1,000C
Matiur Rahman removed from NBR following controversy
Now NBR first secretary faces action for swindling 1,000CFaisal bought a one-seventh portion of a six-katha plot in Kamta Mouza for Tk2 lakh and a 0.03-acre plot in Gutiab mouza for Tk7.1 lakh under his name. He also purchased a 334.45sqm plot in Hararbarhi mouza for Tk12.16 lakh and a 0.27-acre plot in Nandipara mouza for Tk2 lakh.
The ACC has discovered immovable assets worth Tk6.89 crore in Faisal, his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law’s names.
Movable assets
Faisal and his associates have invested Tk2.55 crore million in savings certificates across different banks. They have a little over Tk6.96 crore in 87 accounts with various banks and non-banking financial institutions. Their movable assets amount to Tk9,51,50,908.
By Sunday, the ACC had found movable and immovable assets worth over Tk16,41,25,908 in their names.
