The Hili immigration point, the country’s second largest check-post for immigrants located in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur district, has been missing out on large amounts of revenue because of corruption and malpractices on the part of officials, sources alleged. Revenues worth Tk. 3,303,300, earned from travel taxes in the 2012-13 fiscal year, at this land port, are missing at present. On carrying out an investigation, The Independent found that people who had earlier travelled to India via Hili, are now avoiding this port. They use other immigration points in the country, as they are allegedly harassed by officials and are forced to pay unauthorised travel charges.
A gap of Tk. 33,03,300 in travel taxes, collected in the 2012-13 fiscal year, has been detected between Hili customs and immigration.
The Hili customs authorities said an amount of Tk. 4,206,000 was deposited in the national exchequer, during the 2012-13 fiscal year, as travel tax. Each outgoing traveller needs to pay Tk. 300, while underage children need to pay half the amount as travel tax, according to a Hili customs official.
According to the information provided by Hili immigration, at least 25,031 people, including foreigners, used the Hili immigration point in the last fiscal year (2012-13).
Sources said 2,094 people travelled in July, 2,066 people in August, 1,816 people in September, 2,395 people in October, 2,361 people in November, and 1,916 people in December, last year. A total of 2,192 people travelled in January, 2,000 people in February, 2,062 people in March, 1,754 people in April, 2,170 people in May, and 2,204 people travelled in June, this year, through this immigration point.
If 25,031 travellers paid Tk. 300, each, as travel tax, the national exchequer should have earned Tk. 7,509,300. But the national exchequer got only Tk. 4,206,000—that is, the amount paid by 14,020 travellers—while the remaining Tk. 3,303,300, corresponding to 11,011 travellers, is missing.
Sources alleged that corrupt immigration officials and staff of Hili customs have siphoned off this amount and let travellers cross over to the eastern meighbour, without paying the requisite travel taxes. Hence, the national exchequer has lost out on a huge amount, said a member of the staff, requesting anonymity.
Besides, allegations have been levelled that multiple-entry visa holders are also being harassed. Sources said Md Khazamuddin, the officer in charge of Hili immigration point, usually demands a sum of Tk. 3,000 to Tk. 5,000 from each multiple-entry visa holder.
“I am now using Benapole immigration point, and air routes, to avoid harassment,” explained Md Mohammad Ali, a businessman from the capital, who used to travel to India through the Hili land port.
Again, allegations are being levelled that incoming Bangladeshis, who have overstayed in India, are also being harassed.
On the other hand, Indian nationals visiting Bangladesh need to pay extra charges if they overstay in Bangladesh, when their visas expire. But, the Hili immigration authorities allegedly line their pockets with the overstay charges, instead of depositing them in the national exchequer.
Alarmingly, if anyone pays a sum more than Tk. 3,000, they can cross the border without any passport, said a confidential source of Hili immigration. Many have been arrested by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel, while trying to cross the border in such a way.
When contacted, Md. Khazamuddin Ahmmed, officer in charge of Hili immigration point, cut off the phone line, after a short conversation, and refused to take further phone calls from this correspondent. Later, Dinajpur superintendent of police, Md. Sarwar Murshid Shamim, promised to look into the matter. Hili assistant commissioner of customs, Md Mazedur Haque, also said he would look into the matter.
-With The Independent input
