CHATTOGRAM, Aug 20, 2025 (BSS) - Chattogram Customs House (CCH prevented attempts to evade significant amount of revenue by confiscating a good number of import consignments brought under false declaration. 

CCH sources said the authority has unearthed and foiled 762 incidents of tax dodging that fetched Tk. around 110 crore revenues during the month of May last from the month of July 2024. 

Of the aforementioned amount, according to AIR unit of CCH, nearly Tk. 50 crore has been collected as tax while approximately Tk. 60 crore were realized as penalty for importing consignments by false declaration that usually practices by a section of unscrupulous businessmen to evade legal tax. 

CCH Commissioner Mohammad Shafi Uddin told BSS that huge number of tax dodging cases were detected and foiled that resulted in to deposit such a good amount of revenue to government exchequer following strict surveillance activities to prevent tax evasion. 

"We have adopted "zero tolerance" policy to check the tax related fraudulence and if needed, steps have taken to inspect physically the imported consignment and mutually discuss with stakeholders to solve any disputes" he said. 

The data shows a significant differentiation in monthly revenue collection and additional revenue over the past 11 months. The additional revenue collected varied from TK 6 crore to TK 18.82 crore registering highest collection in March. 

The month-wise amounts realized during the July-May period are as follows: July - TK 10.13 crore, August TK 11 crore, September - TK 6.34 lakh, October - TK 7. 53 crore, November - TK 6.42 crore, December - TK 10 crore, January - TK 6.77 crore , February - TK 10.68 crore , April - TK 9.35 crore and in May - TK 11.3 crore.

The revenue growth percentages for each month are: July -51.68%, August -5.19%, September +15.27%, October +93.57%, November +51.77%, December +48.21%, January +40.46%, February +7.55%, March +88.60%, April -8.33%, and May +54.16%. 

Revenue collection has increased by Tk 15 crore during the period compared to corresponding months of the previous fiscal year with detection of 146 additional evasion cases. 
 
CCH sources mentioned that the effective role of AIR branch not only contributed to increase in revenue collection but it also played important role in checking money laundering through fraudulent means. 

The branch has constantly focused on ensuring the integrity and transparency of import-export activities through vigilance and strict enforcement of a 'zero tolerance' policy against revenue evasion. 

CCH Commissioner Mohammad Shafi Uddin said that attempts were taken to provide adequate logistic and technological support to identify doubtful import consignments besides conducting awareness campaign among all concern parties including importers and internal and external carriers to prevent tax dodging. 

Authority is also working closely by taking collaborative efforts with relevant stakeholders to remove all loopholes in evading taxes, he added.