Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 1129 Fri. August 03, 2007  
   
Front Page


Accounts of Hasina, her family members frozen
NBR also issues freeze order on accounts of families of Morshed Khan, Babar


The National Board of Revenue (NBR) yesterday asked all commercial banks to freeze accounts of Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and her five family members.

It also put freeze order on accounts of 49 other people and organisations including former foreign minister M Morshed Khan, his wife, son and daughter, ex-BNP state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and his relatives and former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Prof MA Hadi.

The NBR asked all banks to provide the account information about the people and organisation, sources said.

Hasina's husband Dr M Wajed Miah, sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wajed Joy and daughter Saima Wajed Putul and her husband are on the NBR list.

The account holders will also no longer be able to withdraw Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) or make transactions, sources said quoting the NBR order.

Accounts of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Bangabandhu Memorial Trust and Grenade Affected Welfare Trust were also frozen.

Meanwhile, the central bank asked other banks to provide account information of 199 bigwigs by August 8.

On March 1, the NBR asked all commercial banks to immediately suspend transactions of accounts of 53 graft suspects.

The NBR directed banks to freeze the accounts of former law minister barrister Moudud Ahmed and his wife Hasna Moudud on March 6.

NBR SITS ON KHALEDA, SAIFUR'S TAX SUBMISSION
The NBR in a board meeting yesterday discussed the issue of tax submission by former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former finance minister Saifur Rahman for legalising their undisclosed income but could not decide whether it would consider accepting the taxes.

Khaleda Zia's sources of income, which are shown in her income tax return, need to be checked thoroughly to ensure that those are legal, NBR sources said.

However, the tax submitted by Saifur might be accepted as he maintained all the required procedures correctly, another source said.

Khaleda has shown her income as house rent, fixed deposit, salary and remuneration as prime minister and leader of the opposition during the last 15 years, remuneration as parliament member, government remuneration of late president Ziaur Rahman and life insurance amounts of both herself and her late husband.

"The NBR needs to make sure whether the income she has shown was earned legally. Income tax officials are scrutinising her sources of income, " a high official of the NBR said preferring anonymity.

The official said that if Khaleda's income was earned legally, she might get another chance for submitting tax to legalise her undisclosed money as the NBR has extended the deadline for tax submission.

When asked, Khaleda Zia's lawyer Ahmed Aazam said that they would submit a fresh return if the NBR asks for it. He said that the NBR was yet to inform him anything about it.

Meanwhile, the NBR sources said that Saifur Rahman has submitted taxes correctly to legalise his undisclosed money.

"The former finance minister maintained all the procedures correctly, so the NBR has no objection to receiving his taxes," another high official of the NBR said preferring anonymity.

In yesterday's board meeting, the NBR has transferred 11 customs and income tax commissioners to different circles.

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