The revenue target for Benapole land port for the current fiscal
2013-14 has been reduced to Tk 2,350 crore, which is 12 per cent less
than that of the outgoing fiscal 2012-13.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has fixed the revenue target for
the country’s largest land port for the new financial year at Tk2,350
crore, which is Tk 270 crore less than the targeted Tk 2620 crore of
the last fiscal.
According to the Benapole Customs office, the land port’s revenue
income in the last fiscal lagged behind the target for the last
fiscal.
The authorities earned Tk 2168 crore revenue in the fiscal 2012-13
against the target of Tk 2620 crore, which showed a deficit of Tk
452.89 crore.
Akbar Hossain, joint commissioner of Benapole Customs office, said the
NBR has reduced the revenue target after examining the export-import
accounts of the land port.
He linked the failure to collect revenue as targeted to the increase
in illegal trade of goods through the border, dodging tax.
Sources at the customs house said the NBR on April 1, 2012 imposed
duty on 79 types of goods imported from India.
As the duty on the products, including apple, pineapple, grapes and
cigarettes was raised, the traders have started to bring in them
though unofficial channel, evading tax, causing an eventual fall in
the customs house’s revenue collection.
Fruit traders are reportedly evading huge tax by bringing goods
through Bhomra, Hili and Sonamasjid ports avoiding Benapole.
Aminul Haque, vice-president of Benapole Land Port Exporters and
Importers Association, alleged that the rise in import duty has
created frustration among the traders who have reduced import of goods
legally, causing a fall in the revenue income of the port authorities.
-UNB, Benapole
