Will Benazir be able to pay 15pc tax and whiten his black money?

Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Abu Hena Md Rahamatul Munim has said that the matter of former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed’s wealth is now under criminal, that is, legal proceedings. Whether he will be able to whiten his back money by paying 15 per cent tax, is now a legal question.

The NBR chairman was answering questions at the post-budget press briefing held yesterday at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday, Friday.

The proposed budget has provision to whiten or legitimise black money from July this year, by paying a 15 per cent tax. A journalist raised this question, asking if persons like Benazir could legitimise their black money by paying 15 per cent tax.

In reply, Hena Md Rahmatul Munim said, “The matter (Benazir’s wealth) is under criminal, that is, legal proceedings. Whether the wealth will be legitimised by paying a 15 per cent tax, is a legal question. We don’t want to see it in such a broad terms. People may have certain amounts of undisclosed wealth for various reasons. We came up with this proposal to legitimise such undisclosed wealth.”

Another journalist at the press briefing asked, there are questions concerning the source of wealth of many persons like Benazir Ahmed in high positions of the government and administration. How did they reach this level, duping the intelligence agencies? Will these people like Benazir be able to legitimise their black money with a 15 per cent tax?

In reply, the prime minister’s economic affairs advisor said that action regarding Benazir Ahmed will be taken in according to the laws of the land. He will be given the rights according to any citizen of the country.

Mashiur Rahman said that investigations are being carried out regarding Benazir, adding, “You will have seen in the newspapers that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating the matter. Once the investigations are complete, steps will be taken in accordance to the law. But the investigations must first be completed. Benazir Ahmed has asked for time to appear before ACC to be interrogated. He has been granted the time.”

“It has not been said that measures will not be taken,” Mashiur Rahman said, “Nor has it been said in advance that we will put him in jail, hang him. He will be given the rights due to any citizen of the country.”

ACC, incidentally, has found that Benazir, his wife and children own 621 bighas of land in Gopalganj, Madaripur, Dhaka and other districts, four flats in Gulshan, 33 bank accounts, shares in 19 companies and three BO accounts, as well as 3 million taka (30 lakh taka) in savings certificates. Following an appeal by ACC, the court has ordered all this to be seized.

Benazir Ahmed left the country on 4 May before this court order, according to law enforcement sources.

Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali presented the 2024-25 fiscal budget in parliament on Thursday. According to the norm, the press briefing was held the next day, Friday. The briefing was attended by 10 ministers, state ministers and advisors.