The New Nation - Internet Edition

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.