52 cars duty-free in customs, 7 former MPs including Shakib have taken them by chance

At least 52 cars imported by the outgoing members of the twelfth Parliament, which were dismantled in the face of the students' movement, were stopped by the customs authorities at the duty-free facility. However, realizing the heated situation in July, Shakib Al Hasan, Ferdous and seven former MPs withdrew their cars. Clearance for 4 more such vehicles was submitted but could not take delivery due to not getting custom clearance. Complications have arisen over the future of these valuable vehicles lying in the shed of Chittagong port.

The Chittagong Customs Authority is not releasing the cars due to the resignation of MPs in the face of public uprising. Although a few including Saqib have already withdrawn a few cars. Photo: Time News
The Chittagong Customs Authority is not releasing the cars due to the resignation of MPs in the face of public uprising. Although a few including Saqib have already withdrawn a few cars. Photo: Time News
give lotus

The market value of each car lined up in the car shed of Chittagong port is at least Tk 10 to 12 crore including duty. But the members of the twelfth parliament imported these cars to get duty-free benefits. That is, they had the opportunity to own a car by importing it at a nominal price without paying duty. However, in the face of the students' movement, the customs authorities are no longer releasing these vehicles due to the resignation of parliamentarians.

After realizing the situation of the student movement, cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, actor Ferdous and barrister Sumon along with the then seven members of Parliament left Chittagong in their cars. The government has lost more than 75 crore rupees in revenue. Former members of parliament Jannat R Henry and Mujibur Rahman Manju completed all the procedures but could not get the car released. Apart from this, two other former MPs named Anupam Shahjahan Joy and ABM Anisuzzaman submitted documents for vehicle exemption. These four vehicles are now under the custody of customs.

Chittagong Custom House Deputy Commissioner Saidul Islam said, 'Since the parliament has been broken. Now I have written a letter to the National Board of Revenue on behalf of Chittagong Customs for the government's guidance on whether they will get the duty free facility or not. We will take further action in the light of the instructions that will be given in response to that letter.

Valuable vehicles like Mercedes Benz, Range Rover and BMW brought to the duty free facility are kept in various sheds at the port for now. In this case, to avoid complications, the port authority has decided to hand over to the Chittagong Customs House for sale after 30 days.

Secretary of Chittagong Port Authority, Mohammad Omar Farooq said, 'We take the charge and deliver only after the duty is paid by the customs. If no one comes to take delivery then after 30 days we hand it over for auction.'

Earlier, Chittagong Custom House could not sell 108 cars worth 100 million taka brought to the tourism facility despite repeatedly calling for auction. No one is buying these cars now even as scrap. Therefore, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, former general secretary of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA), suggests that the government should not attempt to sell the cars brought by parliamentarians in duty-free auctions.

He said, 'Very quickly it can be handed over to a government agency and used as a state resource with their money. Cars should never be auctioned. Cars will not be discounted in any way if they go to auction.'

Normally, the minimum duty rate of these vehicles under the custody of customs is from 8 crores to the maximum of 10 crores. However, the members of parliament of the Awami League government were getting the benefit of owning a car without paying it. Many former MPs are also accused of illegally selling such imported cars to others.

Bandhan/Ciecha/Saa