The New Nation - Internet Edition

NBR lodges cases against outgoing BCC Mayor, wife for evading taxes

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Two cases have been lodged on Sunday by National Board of Revenue against Advocate Majibor Rahman Sarwar, outgoing Mayor of Barisal City Corporation, president of district BNP and former whip, and Syeda Nasima Sarwar, his wife for evading income taxes worth 6.37 crore taka against their properties worth Tk.25.59 crore.

Syed Rezaul Karim, Additional Assistant Commissioner of taxes of Barisal taxes circle-2, as complainant lodged both cases on Sunday noon with Barisal District and Session judge. Md. Shahidullah, District and Session judge of Barisal, ordering the registrar of the both cases fixing the next date for hearing on September 17, 2008. Mayor Sarwar was arrested in Dhaka on May 29 by joint forces for graft charges and accused in six cases including a murder case.

The High Court on June 8, 2008 granted ad interim anticipatory bail for three months to Nasima Sarwar, the wife of detained outgoing BCC Mayor Majibor Rahman Sarwar. Court sources said two special cases number 13/08 and 14/08 were lodged on Sunday at Barisal court against Sarwar and Nasima Sarwar respectively under sections 164,165 and 166 of income tax act of 1984 and section 15 of Emergency Power Act of 2007 after permitted by NBR under memo no.583 and 584 of July 31, 2008. The complainant of the cases alleged that that Majibor Rahman Sarwar started payment of income taxes from 1987-88 fiscal under tax identification number TIN-421-101-4486.

He gave false statement in submitted income tax returns evading huge amount of taxes in 12 out of 17 fiscal until 2006-07 fiscal. After investigation it was found that Sarwar owned properties worth about Tk.25.02 crores including one flats in Gulshan, 3 flats and 5 kathas of land in Banani, 30 decimals of land in Savar, 10 acres of land in Barisal, 2 shops in Banani and Basundhara, 3 luxurious car, one revolver, 3 rifle and cash Tk. 40 lakhs in 10 bank accounts on his own name and fixed deposits in banks worth about Tk. 1.12 lakhs in the names of his daughter. Besides, Sarwar also owned construction firm named 'Comfort Trading and Builders', received Tk. 42 thousand as monthly honorarium, house rent and allowances as Mayor of Barisal City Corporation and earned average Tk. 15 thousand per month from a branch of Karikar Biri Factory, leased in the name of him.

Against these properties and incomes Sarwar evaded income taxes worth about Tk.6.27 crores during the aforesaid period. On the other hand Syeda Nasima Sarwar, wife of Mayor Sarwar, started payment of income tax since 1999-2000 fiscal under tax identification number TIN 421-106-0706.

She gave false statements in submitted income tax returns evading huge amount of taxes 3 out of 5 fiscal until 2004-05 fiscal. Syeda Nasima Sarwar has properties worth about Tk. 57.14 lakhs including 70 decimals of land, 30 tolas of gold ornaments, house rent and Tk. 15 lakhs in 2 accounts and she evaded taxes worth about Tk. 10.45 lakhs against these properties during the aforesaid period.

Shrimp production target may not be achieved in Satkhira for virus infection in enclosures

UNB, Satkhira

The target of shrimp production may not be achieved in the current fiscal year in the district due to widespread virus infection in the shrimp enclosures.

Local shrimp farmers said the shrimp enclosures were affected due to nurturing of virus affected fry. They said they are losing interest in shrimp production as they are facing huge loss.

Although a PCR machine was installed here one and half years ago for detecting virus in shrimp fries the Fisheries Department could not yet make it operative.

District Fisheries Department sources said shrimps were cultivated on about 70,000 hectares of land this year and a target was set to produce 18,000 mts shrimp worth about Tk 900 crore.

Biswajit Sadhu, a shrimp cultivator of Patkelghata area, said this year virus infection in the shrimp enclosures is much higher than the previous years.

"Some 85 to 90 fries die if 100 fries are released which is causing huge loss to the farmers", he said.

Local shrimp farmers alleged that the PCR lab was not made operative due to secret understanding between fisheries officials and hatchery owners.

If the supply of virus-free fry could not be ensured the shrimp industry, which occupied the second position after readymade garments (RMG) in terms of earning foreign currencies in Bangladesh, will face ruination, they said.

Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury, a fisheries official, said the lab could not be made operative as the government not yet determined how much fee the farmers would be charged for testing in the lab.

SR Patwary Quality Educare Instt inaugurated in Natore

Our Correspondent, Natore

A non political, unprofitable, special type of teaching institute S.R. Patwary Quality Educare Institute is inaugurated at Bonpara under Baraigram Upazila in Natore district on Sunday. A renowned Educationist and Headmaster of Saint Joseph's High School, Bonpara Grouropado Mondol attended the function as a chief guest, while Dr. Md. Siddiqur Rahman Patwary, Director of Patwary General Hospital and Managing Director of this institute presided over the function.

Among others, Dr. Hosnewara Hossain, Principal (In charge) of this institute, Professor Abul Khair Khan, local social activist and famous business magnate Md. Solaiman Ali, former UP Chairmen Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal, Md. Mohibur Rahman, Khalilur Rahman Sarker and Public Prosecutor of Natore district, Advocate Md. Abdul Kader were attended the function and The function was supervised by S.M. Anowar Hossain, Manager of Patwary General Hospital. The function was conducted by Md. Abdul Aziz, Principal of Kalikapur Bonpara Agriculture and Technical College. The speakers what addressed the function told that the institute has been formed with a view to help for securing G.P.A 5 for the meritorious students by supporting quality teaching. They also hope if locals support to admit meritorious students were it, will be turned in to one of the best institute in near future of the country.

Teen-aged boy stabbed to death in Mymensingh

UNB, Mymensingh

Unidentified assailants stabbed a teen-aged boy to death in College Road area of the district town Saturday night.

The victim was identified as Arafat, 18, son of Haque Mia of the area. Police quoting local people said the criminals called Arafat out of his home at about 10pm and took him to a nearby road. Later, they stabbed him indiscriminately and fled the scene, leaving him critically injured.

He was rushed to the Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared him dead. A case was filed. Police detained three youths for interrogation.

Two children die of diarrhoea, pneumonia in Sunamganj

UNB, Sylhet

Two children died of diarrhoea and pneumonia at Tahirpur upazila health complex in Sunamganj district on Friday.

Hospital sources said 20 diarrhoea-affected people of remote Manikkhila Bolaikandi village were admitted to the health complex in last two days till Friday.

Of them, Tanzina Begum, 7, died on Friday morning while condition of seven other patients was stated to be critical.

4 killed, 28 hurt in separate road mishaps in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Four people were killed and 28 others injured in two separate road accidents at different places in the district Friday night, Police sources said.

One person was killed on the spot and 30 others were injured when a Syedpur-bound coach (Dhaka-Cha-2940) from Dhaka skidded off the road and overturned at Horkoli Thakurpara point on the Dhaka-Syedpur highway under Gangachara upazila at 10:30 PM.

A passenger of the coach, Aminur Rahman, 27, son of Kochim Uddin of village Gobindapur in Khansama upazila of Dinajpur, was killed on the spot. The injured passengers were rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Later, two of the injured passengers, Habibur Rahman, 19, son of Toslim Uddin of village Hajipur and Nurul Islam, 17, son of Lutfar Rahman of village Kishamat Denanagar under Taraganj upazila in Rangpur, died from their wounds at RMCH. Ten of the injured passengers, including women and children, were released after primary aid and 18 others were undergoing treatment at RMCH and the conditions of three passengers were stated to be critical.

Another person, Lal Mian, 30, son of Kiyamuddin of village Gopinathpur in Mithapukur upazila in the district, succumbed to his injuries at RMCH in the small hours of Saturday.

Earlier, he was seriously injured in a road accident at Shothibari point on the same highway under Mithapukur Upazila in the district.

News Briefs

4 held with phensidyl in Kishoreganj

KISHOREGANJ, Sept 9: Police seized an engine boat in river Kali near Chouhardi village in Kuliarchar upazila and arrested four people with 210 bottles of phensidyl syrup on Friday night. Acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided the boat at about 10:30pm and arrested Khairul, Aminul, Forkan and Joy along with the contraband drugs. A case was filed against them under Narcotics Control Act, reports UNB.

5 shops gutted in Sunamganj

SYLHET, Sept 9: A fierce fire that broke out at a market at Moidhyabazar in Tahirpur upazila of Sunamganj district gutted five shops Saturday morning. Local people said the fire originated from an electric short circuit at a shop in Ataur Rahman Market at about 6am and soon engulfed the four other adjoining shops. Seeing the flame local people rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after one and half hours of frantic efforts. Affected shop owners claimed that cash and valuables worth Tk 10 lakh were gutted in the blaze. Local UNO visited the spot at noon, reports UNB.

School teacher killed in Pabna

PABNA, Sept 9: Body of a primary school teacher was recovered from a pond adjacent to his house at Jodgouri Jalalpur village in Sadar upazila Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Bimol Kumar Sarker, 52, a teacher of local Kushiamra Government Primary School. Police said Bimol was missing since he went out of his house after receiving a mobile phone call on Friday night, reports UNB.

3 held with fake currency notes, drug in Comilla

COMILLA, Sept 9: Elite force RAB in separate drives arrested three people along with fake currency notes and 100 bottles of phensidyl syrup here on Saturday. Tipped off, RAB members raided a hotel in Laksam upazila headquarters and arrested one Kamrul Islam with 10 fake notes of Tk 500 denomination. In another drive the elite force arrested two young men - Sohel and Arif - along with 100 bottles of Indian phensidyl syrup from Shasangachha area of the district town at noon. They hailed from Tetabhumi village in Brahmanpara upazila, reports UNB.

Mobile court fines 13 vehicles

BARISAL, Sept 9: A mobile court realised Tk 5,650 in fine from 13 vehicles in Rahamatpur area on Barisal-Dhaka highway from morning to noon on Saturday. Babuganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mirza Ali Ashraf led the mobile court. The UNO said the vehicles were fined for using banned hydraulic horns, emitting black smoke, faults in driving licenses and other documents and lack of fitness certificates, reports UNB.

Valuables looted in Gopalganj

GOPALGANJ, Sept 9: Armed robbers looted valuables from the house of Technical School and College Principal in the district town early Friday. Police said a gang of bandits entered the house of the principal Moniruzzaman at about 1:30am and confined the family members in a room at gunpoint. They later looted cash, gold ornaments and other valuables worth about Tk one lakh from the house. A case was filed with the police, reports UNB.

One beaten to death n Pabna

PABNA, Sept 9: A middle-aged man was beaten to death allegedly by his in-laws over a past enmity at Bhabanipur village in Sadar upazila Friday. The deceased was identified as Sadeq Mondol, 45. Police said Sadeq Mondol had long standing enmity with his in-laws. His brother-in-law Makbul Hossain invited Sadeq to his house in the name of settlement of the dispute. But when he came to the house Mokbul beat him mercilessly leaving him dead on the spot. A murder case was filed, reports UNB.