Political farmer pays no tax
Even though BNP leader Fazlur Rahman Patal owns a Lexus and a Nissan SUV, a Mazda and a building in Dhaka worth Tk 1.54 crore, he claims to be a farmer earning Tk 2.15 lakh a year, thus not having to pay any income tax.Fazlur, a former state minister for youth and sports, in his nomination papers for Natore-1 constituency claimed agriculture as the only source of his income. Fazlur does not have to pay any income tax, according to the wealth statement attached to his nomination papers. One has to earn at least Tk 2.65 lakh a year in this sector for income tax to become mandatory.According to the tax-return certificate, the total amount of wealth of the BNP leader is Tk 1.98 crore and his monthly income and expenditure are Tk 17,876 and Tk 14,989.The certificate states that "he has no outstanding taxes". He did not pay any income tax this fiscal year either.Fazlur owns a six-storey building in Banani valued at Tk 1.54 crore and a two-storey building on 39 decimal land at Gouripur of Natore. He has cultivable land of 2.07 acres in Gouripur, according to the statement.He claimed his Lexus, Nissan and the Mazda costs Tk 76 lakh. He said he owns 70 tolas of gold ornaments, a stake worth Tk 30,000 in a livestock and poultry firm and prize bonds worth Tk 1 lakh, all of which were kept out of the tax bracket.He said his wife owns 41.17 acres of land in Uttarkhan in Dhaka and his son has a six-storey building in Banasri.Abu Ishak, deputy tax commissioner of Dhaka Tax Circle-60, told this correspondent that Fazlur's income tax case of 2008-09 fiscal year was resolved. However, if Fazlur is found hiding his actual wealth after investigation, he would have to pay taxes.Fazlur showed Tk 2,14,520 lakh as his annual income from the agriculture sector. An annual income of Tk 2.65 lakh or above is required in this sector for tax payment to become mandatory, he said, adding that the former lawmaker was not forced to pay income taxes even though he has many things for which he had to pay taxes.In his nomination paper, the BNP leader mentioned Tk 12 lakh as probable expenditure for the upcoming polls. He has a corruption case filed against him which is under trial.
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