The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has suspended the imports and exports activies of Abdul Momen Group, a leading business conglomerate of Bangladesh, over massive tax evasion.
Besides, the NBR has ordered freezing the group's bank accounts, customs officials said.
There are allegations that Abdul Monem Sugar Refinery Limited, a subsidiary of Abdul Monem Group, evaded Tk 674.35 crore misusing the bond facilities.
The Customs Bond Commissionerate Dhaka South issued an office order to all customs houses and banks in this regard on Tuesday (April 24), sources said on Wednesday (April 24).
In its order signed by Dwaipan Chakma, deputy commissioner of the Customs Bond Commissionerate Dhaka South, directed all the seaports, land ports and airports to suspend the export and import activities of all the companies under the group. It also asked for suspending the business identification numbers or BINs of the companies.
The office order also mentioned that Abdul Monem Sugar Refinery Limited evaded duties worth Tk 1,205.52 crore by removing 5,25,000 metric tonnes of unrefined sugar from its factory and paying no duties.
The company was directed to pay the money in six instalments. Then it paid Tk 533 crore. But, the rest of the evaded amount of Tk 674.35 crore is yet to paid to the government exchequer.
It is learnt that Messrs Abdul Monem Sugar Refinery Limited sold out the sugar in the open market illegally after importing those sugar under bonded facilities.