The Customs, Excise and VAT commissionerate has taken stringent measures to clear its divisional and circle offices of un-appointed aides, popularly known as ‘Faltus’, who act as middlemen in unscrupulous deals between clients and the officials.
The government is deprived of a huge amount of VAT which these ‘Faltus’ negotiate between the clients and the dishonest officers, said a senior official of the commissioenrate.
‘They have access to and handle all the important files of the VAT registered companies and act as middlemen in illicit deals,’ the official said, adding that the ‘Faltus’ have become influential over the years as remained in the same office while the bosses are transferred after a period of time.
Each of the eight divisions and 28 circle offices under the commissionerate have at least two ‘Faltus’ who are apparently more powerful than the VAT officials.
The newly posted officials become dependent on these un-appointed aides who are more conversant with the files and the tax payers, informed sources said.
‘Sudden inspections will be carried out against these people and, if found, legal action will be taken against them,’ an official of the commissionerate told New Age on Tuesday.
He said the un-appointed people were taking the advantage as more than 700 posts in the VAT office lie vacant against total approved posts of 1,772.
‘It is tough to properly look after nearly four lakh business houses and shops registered with the VAT directorate in Dhaka,’ said a senior official.
He said that the government has set a target of collecting Tk 4,756 crore in VAT during the current fiscal.
