Outgoing Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Dr. Shoaib Ahmed yesterday acknowledged allegations of corruption by customs and tax officials but said a large portion of businessmen also resort to corruption by evading tax and duties.

"Until and unless the entire fabric of society is changed, one cannot expect a corruption- free custom administration overnight," Dr. Shoaib, whose two-year-three-month stint at the office saw the NBR achieve the revenue target twice, told The Daily Star on telephone.

Shoaib was transferred Sunday

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as secretary of the Ministry of Industries and hands over charge today to the newly appointed NBR Chairman Khairuzzaman Chowdhury, former secretary of the ministry of food.

"Not all the dishonest people of a country can be made honest by any state mechanism or any institutional efforts until and unless the people concerned do not rectify themselves," he said when asked about the widespread corruption at the customs department.