Mongla, February 21 (V7N) - The cars of former Members of Parliament (MPs), which were brought to Mongla Port under duty-free privileges, are now being sent back to Japan, as they were not sold at auction. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is overseeing the return of these vehicles. On February 18, the NBR sent a Prado Land Cruiser, owned by Siddiqul Alam, the former MP of Nilphamari-04 constituency, back to Japan via the Panama-flagged Lotus Leader ship. The return process of another Land Cruiser belonging to Major General (Retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, former MP of Cox's Bazar-01 constituency and Chairman of the Kalyan Party, has also been finalized.

Commissioner M. Safiuzzaman of Mongla Customs House confirmed the information on Thursday afternoon. He stated that four Prado Land Cruiser vehicles had been imported duty-free from Japan to Mongla Port on July 17 last year. One vehicle has already been sent back to Japan, and the process of returning another is complete. The remaining two vehicles can also be returned to Japan if their respective importers request it.

Safiuzzaman added that to retrieve the luxury vehicles imported duty-free by former MPs of the Awami League government, a substantial customs duty would have to be paid, as the duty-free benefit was canceled after the parliament was dissolved. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has revoked the duty-free privilege, and no one has shown interest in paying the three to four times higher customs duty required to keep these cars. Hence, they are being sent back to Japan.

A source from Mongla Customs House mentioned that after the dissolution of parliament on August 6, the members of the 12th Parliament lost not only their positions but also their duty-free benefits. Former MPs like Major General (Retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim of Cox’s Bazar-01, Siddiqul Alam of Nilphamari-04, Muhammad Zakaria of Dinajpur-01, and Nasima Zaman Bobby of the reserved seats were unable to retrieve their luxury vehicles. As they either went into hiding or fled abroad, the vehicles were not claimed in time and were put up for auction at Mongla Customs House. However, as the auction did not resolve the issue, the NBR started the process of sending these vehicles back to their supplier country, Japan.

The first car, owned by Siddiqul Alam, was sent back this month. The process for returning Major General (Retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim’s Land Cruiser has also been finalized.

On July 17 last year, four Prado Land Cruiser vehicles were imported from Japan to Mongla Port. After the change in government, these vehicles were left by the former MPs. Later, Mongla Customs House put them up for auction on November 25, but they did not sell.

Sources mentioned that in 1987, during the regime of military ruler HM Ershad, the duty-free vehicle import benefit was introduced to please MPs. This benefit was canceled by the caretaker government in 2007, but the Awami League government reinstated it in 2009. Over the past 15 years, the government has lost thousands of crores in revenue due to this provision.

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