Rangpur: A number of clearing and forwarding (C&F) Agents, export and importers, allegedly in collaboration with some customs officials at Burimari land port in Lalmonirhat have dodged Tk 26 lack import duty by submitting forged treasury chalan (bill).

Sources at the land port said the Customs Commissioner in Rajshahi ordered immediate action against the corrupt C&F agents, customs officials, exporters and importers. But the Assistant Customs Commissioner in Burimari station is mysteriously silent about it, they claimed.

The forgery was detected recently by Customs Superintendents Sodrul Alam and Abu Hena and Customs Inspectors Najirullah and Monoranjon Gosh while examining the register and bank scrolls,

the sources said.

They found that there was no entry of the chalans (bills) and bank scrolls with the accounts office at Patgram and the bank concerned.

They lodged cases with Burimari customs station as per Tax Law, 1969, VAT Law 1991, and Customs Licensing Rules 1986.

The cases have been lodged against four C&F agents. These are M/S Fahim Enterprise, M/S Hasan Traders, M/S Ispita International and M/S Shilpi Traders.

They placed forged treasury chalan to the custom stations along with the bill of entry.

Of the amount, M/S Shilpi Traders dodged taxes amounting Tk 2,22,444, M/S Ispita International Tk 1,69,114, M/S Fahim Enterprize Tk. 11,70,242,and M/S Hasan Traders Tk.

9,60,160.

The export and importers involved in the forgery are Alwarisha Traders of Sayedpur in Nilphamari; Dhata Trading International of Gulshan in Dhaka; Chadni Bazar of Bogra; Moon Enterprize of Bogra; Hoque Trading of Sayedpur in Nilphamari; Raj Spin of Noagoan; Mamun Brothers of Bogra; PHK Traders of Shahajada Miah Lane in Dhaka; Noor Enterprize of Bogra; Karim & Brothers of Ahsanullah Road in Dhaka; Khan Traders of Syedpur in Nilphamari and Raj Pathor of Bangla Motor in Dhaka.

These exporters and importers, with the help of some customs officials and C&F agents, unload consignments imported from India through forged treasury chalan.

In a note sent to the Assistant Customs Commissioner of Burimari

station, Custom Superintendent Sadrul Alam stated that the exporters and importers, with the help of the C&F agents unloaded consignment of Indian fruits by submitting fake treasury chalan.

As fruits are first rotting goods, the customs issued permission hurriedly without checking the treasury chalan with banks eight miles from the land port.

However, the customs officials who detected the forgery were later withdrawn and posted at other customs stations in the country. So steps for action against the corrupt customs officials, C&F agents, export and importers have slowed down, said the sources said seeking anonymity.