Photo: Messenger
Country’s leading private airliner Novoair authorities have allegedly brought various products from abroad by plane and took them out through the courier unit of Dhaka Custom House under false declarations. Additionally, C&F businessman Mokles has been found to be supporting the company in this work.
However, Mofizur Rahman, the managing director of Novoair, claimed not to know C&F businessman Mokles.
According to Dhaka Custom House sources, all the activities of Novoair are managed by C&F businessman Mokles through various syndicates in Dhaka Custom House. Novoair and Mokles have benefited by evading crores of revenue with the help of Mokles. However, the government has suffered, as the customs department has been deprived of revenue. An investigation has been initiated in this regard.
Investigations have revealed that Novoair authorities released the consignments of 30 products in 2022 and 2023 through the courier unit of Dhaka Custom House with false declarations.
In this incident, a dishonest syndicate at Dhaka Custom House cooperated with Novoair and C&F Mokles, resulting in mutual benefits.
The investigation also disclosed that the products imported from abroad by the private Novoair authorities are used in aircraft as well as various industrial factories.
In this connection, the senior officials of Dhaka Custom House believe that re-investigating the documents of the products whose invoices have been released under false declarations will reveal where the products have been used. Simultaneously, the amount of revenue evasion will come to light. As many as 30 Bill of Entry numbers imported by Novoair have been identified.
The Bill of Entry numbers involved in irregularities include 390044 (17 May 2023), 152552 (27 February 2023), 521067 (29 June 2022), 530442 (3 July 2022), 528803 (3 July 2022), 522451 (30 June 2022), 521108 (29 June 2022), 559783 (17 July 2022).
Other Bill of Entry numbers are 521076 (29 June 2022), 521091 (29 June 2022), 545890 (7 July 2022), 537101 (4 July 2022), 602527 (31 July 2022), 585313 (25 July 2022), 575416 (21 July 2022), 575377 (21 July 2022), 564171 (18 July 2022), 564115 (18 July 2022), 559998 (17 July 2022), 559985 (17 July 2022).
The remaining Bill of Entry numbers are 559963 (17 July 2022), 559957 (17 July 2022), 575550 (21 July 2022), 575518 (21 July 2022), 575499 (21 July 2022), 575470 (21 July 2022), 602926 (31 July 2022), 602898 (31 July 2022), 602825 (31 July 2022), 602794 (31 July 2022).
In each consignment of these 30 Bill of Entry numbers, the goods have been cleared through low duty and false declaration, causing the government to lose crores of takas.
The investigation also revealed that, generally, the goods imported by Novoair are subject to a duty of more than 50 percent as per the instructions of the National Board of Revenue.
However, the consignments of goods there have been cleared by paying only more than 20 percent duty. In this assessment, the officers who were in the duties found to have involved.
Additionally, customs and inspection officials are also involved in clearing the consignment of these products imported by Novoair.
A senior official of Dhaka Custom House, on condition of anonymity, said that if customs conduct a post-clearance audit, the customs authority can file a claim within 5 years. In that case, customs can recover the evaded revenue. Moreover, an investigation into the matter has been initiated, and further action will be taken. The official also mentioned that the activities of Mokles for the past 5 years will be investigated.
However, C&F agent Mokles defended the actions, saying that everyone working here follows the same practices. He argued that such activities are common among thousands of people doing business at the airport.
Mokles expressed frustration at being harassed by this reported when asked about his involvement in releasing Novoair goods under false declaration, saying, “This is (asking about his activities) not a good work, and if you publish this news, nothing will happen to me.”
When Novoair's Managing Director Mofizur Rahman was contacted, he told reporters, "We have no relationship with C&F Mokles. We don't know him.”
When asked whether the shipment of the 30 products was cleared through the courier unit of Dhaka Custom House through false declaration, or the goods were released under a wrong declaration, he further said, “It is not possible for me to explain in this regard.”
Messenger/Disha
