Benapole Customs House has formed an Investigation, Research and Management (IRM) unit to play an effective role in preserving and securing revenue.
Benapole Customs commissioner issued an office order in this regard on Monday. IRM officers will be considered to be on duty for 24 hours, reports UNB.
The IRM will uncover the nature, tactics and information of various types of customs evasion related to import and export activities, preventing illegal activities and suppressing smuggling, according to official documents.
Various steps have been taken by the Customs House recently to create a taxpayer-friendly environment, including speeding up import-export trade, reducing time, facilitating trade.
In continuation of this, effective steps are being taken to accelerate the clearance of import-export goods, create an environment for revenue protection, and prevent customs and tax evasion.
This IRM Benapole will collect information through audits, investigations and research, review the information, take effective initiatives to prevent revenue evasion, and inform the commissioner of the progress in this regard.
The functions of the Benapole IRM unit will be—
(a) Collecting intelligence, identifying and uncovering undeclared/undeclared cargo movements inside and outside the port, monitoring revenue collection, clearance processes and preventing smuggling;
(b) Identifying cargo’s eligibility by reviewing the ASYCUDA World System;
(c) Physical inspection of all imported sensitive and customs-risky goods;
(d) Gathering secret information, round-the-clock surveillance in the revenue collection and prevent revenue evasion;
(e) Supervising the process of unloading goods at various places related to customs:
(f) Ensuring close supervision of IRM officers’ duties;
(g) Analysing the information received from the Customs Intelligence & Investigation Directorate and other agencies, taking necessary action, including IGM, Bill of Entry Lock, where applicable;
(h) Report irregularities to the commissioner with documents for taking necessary action;
(i) Co-opting the IRM team in various activities, including further verification, and re-physical examination of any goods consignment in the interest of proper customs clearance and revenue protection;
(j) Jointly carry out physical inspection activities on a case-to-case basis with the permission of the inspection officers in charge of import inspection and IRM unit;
(k) Physical inspection of goods consignments worth more than $40,000 or ready-made garments declared more than 20,000 pieces in the case of export;
(l) Any other duty assigned by the commissioner.
Bd-pratidin English/Fariha Nowshin Chinika
