TDS Desk:

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of income tax records of four individuals, including Farzana Rahman Ipsita, daughter of former National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman, in connection with an ongoing investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

On Monday, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order following a petition by the ACC.

The other individuals whose tax records have been ordered for seizure are Masud Biswas, former chief officer of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit; Mir Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, a police inspector of the Dhaka Range; and his wife, Sabina Yasmin.

According to the ACC’s petition, Ipsita allegedly concealed assets worth Tk2.45 crore in her declaration to the commission and unlawfully possessed Tk53.41 crore, which does not align with her known sources of income. As part of the investigation, the court has approved the seizure of her tax records from the fiscal year 2013-14 to 2023-24.

The ACC has also accused Masud Biswas of illegally possessing Tk1.87 crore beyond his legitimate earnings, a punishable offence under anti-corruption laws. Consequently, his income tax records are to be seized for further scrutiny.

Similarly, Abul Kalam Azad is facing allegations of acquiring assets worth Tk59.09 lakh through illicit means. To ensure a thorough investigation, the court has authorized the seizure of his and his wife Sabina Yasmin’s tax records from the year of their first tax filing up to the fiscal year 2024-25.