TDS Desk:

Former panel mayor of Chattogram City Corporation, Abdus Sabur Liton, has been accused of manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes using fake band rolls and distributing them across the country.

Former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel is alleged to have been his accomplice in this large-scale corruption.

Sources said the duo evaded VAT and supplementary duty through two companies, Bijoy International and Tara International, causing a loss of at least Tk5,000 crore in revenue to the government.

Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, Commissioner of Customs Excise and VAT Commissionerate in Chattogram, said, “Multiple agencies are investigating the manufacturing of fake cigarettes by Bijoy International Tobacco and Tara International Tobacco using counterfeit band rolls. There are findings, but details will be revealed after the investigation is completed.”

Nurul Bashir, Deputy Commissioner of the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), said that an inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the allegations.

“Since the start of the investigations, Nowfel and Liton have gone into hiding, with their mobile phones switched off,” he added.

According to sources, Bijoy International Tobacco and Tara International Tobacco, both owned by Liton, are at the forefront of producing and distributing counterfeit cigarettes in the country.

Investigations reveal that 40 percent of one of these companies is owned by former minister Nowfel. The companies are accused of purchasing raw materials for cigarette production and manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes in factories located in Cox’s Bazar’s Chakaria and Kishoreganj’s Shibpur area. Fake foreign-brand cigarettes were then supplied across the country with counterfeit band rolls.

Since the inception of the two companies, about 10,000 tonnes of cigarette raw materials have been imported, enough to manufacture 5 crore cigarettes. The government is estimated to have lostTk 3,000 crore in VAT and supplementary duties.

Besides, the Liton syndicate is accused of reusing band rolls from established tobacco companies by purchasing them from shops and using them in their counterfeit cigarette production, further evading an estimated Tk2,000 crore in VAT and duties.

Despite multiple raids on Bijoy International and Tara International, the companies have managed to avoid serious consequences. In a joint operation on 25 September, 53,000 illegal revenue stamps and over 1.3 million cigarettes were seized from Tara International’s factory, resulting in a fine of Tk2 lakh. Earlier, customs detectives raided the factories in May, uncovering additional counterfeit cigarettes.

An official involved in the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We initiated the investigation after receiving multiple complaints. Former minister Nowfel’s involvement became clear, but pressure from higher authorities halted the process. The case documents have since been moved to Dhaka, and I don’t know the current status of the case.”