The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has decided to expand the activities of its Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) and approved the expansion of the wing following considerable success in last three years.

NBR sources said Board chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid recently signed a new organogram of the CIC comprising 58 staffs. At present, 26 people, including nine senior officials, are employed in the CIC.

The newly approved CIC organogram includes two new posts of additional director general, four of joint director general, five deputy director general and 10 assistant director general. It also includes one assistant programmer, four intelligence officer, two investigation officers, three posts each for computer operator and data entry operator, one each for LD store keeper, upper division assistant and cashier, eight posts for driver, 11 posts for MLSS, and one post each for senior attorney and assistant attorney. The expanded CIC will cost Tk 70.30 lakh per annum. In the fiscal 2006-07, CIC detected tax evasions worth Tk 25.35 crore compared to Tk 51.61 crore in fiscal 2005-06 and Tk 55.33 crore in 2004-05.

In recent times, the activities of the CIC were being greatly hampered for lack of adequate manpower.

CIC sources said it was very difficult for the few senior CIC officials to go the offices of suspected tax dodgers to verify their records.

They said the CIC officials are supposed to operate in a wide field of revenue area. The NBR did not suggest any specific field of work for the CIC officials.

The CIC had detected tax evasions by different businesses, including garments, professionals like doctors, lawyers and engineers as well as service-holders, private security agencies, shipping agents, C&F agents and marriage bureaus.