NBR to install scanners at all ports for tightening security

682

DHAKA, May 15, 2019 (BSS) – National Board of Revenue (NBR) has decided to
install scanners at all sea, river, land and air ports to strengthen security
as well as prevent the siphoning off money through export and import.

To this end, the revenue authority is going to procure 100 scanners by
2020, which would be installed at all ports gradually, officials said.

Talking to BSS, Md Gius Kamal, first secretary at Customs Modernization
and Project Management Department of NBR said “We have taken the decision of
installing scanners at all ports to avert any risk regarding security and
revenue collection.”

Revealing that the scanners would be collected by December 2020, he said
“At first seven scanners would be procured for Chattogram ports to look at in
and out bound containers.”

Among the 12 gates of Chattogram ports, at present, five gates have
scanners.

Officials said earlier the Working Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and
Combating Financial Terrorism has directed all the ports in the country to
install scanners.

The NBR has taken the move which would also help Bangladesh upgrade its
rating. In addition, it would also be evaluated at the upcoming meeting of
the Asia Pacific Group (APG), they added.

Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal after taking the office also directed
to install scanners at all ports.

Scanning or non-intrusive inspection (NII) refers to non-destructive
methods of inspecting and identifying goods in transportation systems. It is
often used for scanning of intermodal freight shipping containers.

The scanning system would also help check import and export goods to
prevent money laundering through invoicing or any other means.

Replying to a query, Gius Kamal said different types of scanners are being
used at ports to check containers. “So, scanners would be installed
considering the requirement and necessity at each port.”

He said government provides cash incentive against many goods to promote
export. “But, many dishonest exporters do trickery and send other goods
instead of designated one inside the container to bag the cash incentive, and
scanners could prevent such crimes.”