Rajuk goes tough on fake TIN submission

Deposit for plot to be confiscated if tax number proves false
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) will cancel allotments of plots and confiscate deposited money of applicants for both Purbachal New Town and Uttara Residential Model Town (Third Phase) projects, if they submit fake Tax Identification Numbers (TIN).
"We will cancel plot allotments to those applicants who will get the plots using fake TINs, and a move is underway in that regard," said a Rajuk official.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) sources said it will start an investigation to identify fake TINs for which they will verify all submitted numbers.
NBR will also check all applications, especially the TINs of those applicants who came under the tax net after the announcement of application invitations for plots in the housing development projects, the sources said.
They said if anybody gets a plot using a fake TIN then NBR will recommend to Rajuk to cancel the allotment and to also confiscate the money deposited by the applicant.
Representatives of Rajuk, NBR, different banks including the Bangladesh Bank, and of Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority will meet on December 22 to discuss the matter, and to fix a timeframe for the investigation, the sources said.
NBR and Rajuk sources also said a large number of applicants submitted fake TINs, depriving the government of a huge amount of revenue.
The NBR sources said fake TINs are not only being used in the applications for plots in Uttara and Purbachal, but also on other occasions where it is mandatory to submit the number.
As submitting TINs was made mandatory for applying for plots in Uttara and Purbachal projects, a section of unscrupulous people opened up illegitimate businesses of producing forged TIN certificates, earning a huge amount of quick illicit cash.
Chairmen of both Rajuk and NBR acknowledged that fake TINs are being used to apply for the plots.
The two government agencies already discussed the matter, the sources said.
Rajuk Chairman Md Shafiqul Islam told The Daily Star yesterday that they are aware of the use of fake TINs and they informed NBR for taking necessary steps.
NBR Chairman Abdul Mazid said they are also aware of the matter and they will recommend to Rajuk cancellation of plot allotments to applicants who will submit fake TINs.
NBR sources said they will also recommend to the Election Commission making submission of TINs mandatory for contesting in any local and national level election after the December 29 general election.
Eight hundred sixty five candidates out of 2,250 who had submitted applications for candidacy in the upcoming general election had no TIN, the sources added.
Rajuk on November 18 invited applications for over 6,000 plots in Kaliganj of Gazipur under the Purbachal project and on November 19 for around 2,000 plots under the third phase of Uttara project.