NBR probes massive scandal involving 300 govt engineers

Staff Reporter :

In a sweeping crackdown on financial irregularities within the public sector, the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has initiated a major investigation into alleged tax evasion by 300 government engineers. This high-profile probe has unearthed serious suspicions of large-scale evasion, with each individual potentially concealing Tk 2 to 3 crore in undeclared income.

Among the accused, 30 engineers are from the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and 10 from the Roads and Highways Department. The remaining individuals are spread across several key government agencies, including the Public Health Engineering Department, Education Engineering Department, Public Works Department, Power Development Board (PDB), Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), and various city corporations.

Preliminary findings suggest that many of these engineers have evaded income taxes amounting to Tk 2-3 crore each. To mask their unaccounted wealth, they allegedly acquired movable and immovable assets in the names of family members and falsely declared income from fictitious fish and poultry farms.

The authorities have collected income tax documents from relevant tax zones and are scrutinizing discrepancies Commissioner of the Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Mohammad Abdur Rakib, confirmed that some engineers’ bank accounts have been frozen.

In some instances, upon detection of irregularities, the engineers have voluntarily paid part of their dues. Requests for financial data have been sent to banks, financial institutions, REHAB, BRTA, land offices, and other regulatory bodies to verify the engineers’ declared assets.

One prominent case involves Sylhet LGED Executive Engineer KM Faruk Hossain, whose bank accounts-along with those of his wife Mahfuza Khatun and daughter Tasmia Fateha Faruk-have been frozen since April 27.

Investigators found tax evasion exceeding Tk 3 crore and over 80 undeclared Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs). Tasmia was shown to have income from a non-existent poultry farm in Satkhira, though tax filings were made through the Khulna Tax Region.

Another LGED official, Engineer SM Kabir, and his wife are accused of evading taxes amounting to Tk 2 crore. Meanwhile, Sylhet City Corporation’s Chief Engineer Noor Azizur Rahman reportedly owns an eight-storey house under his wife’s name and has already paid Tk 1 crore after tax irregularities surfaced.

The investigation also includes senior officials such as LGED’s Firoz Alam Talukder and Bachchu Mia, RHD’s Monirul Islam, and former PDB Chairmen Khaled Mahmud and Md. Mahbubur Rahman.

Additionally, former RHD Additional Chief Engineer Md. Sabuj Uddin Khan and current Additional Chief Engineer of RHD Sylhet Zone Md. Fazle Rabbe are under scrutiny for undeclared wealth.
The NBR’s probe continues, with potential legal actions pending based on the findings.