DHAKA: The government is set to form two separate full benches of the High Court for quick disposal of revenue-related cases, trying to get over a logjam.

“Initiatives will be taken to form the HC benches after Eid holiday as the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General also gave their consent to the matter,” said Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed at a meeting Sunday.

The meeting on the formation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Commission of the National Board of Revenue was organised at the Finance Ministry.   

A total of 17,832 cases of NBR are now pending, with recoverable revenues amounting to Tk 3,300 crore stuck up under the heap of cases.

Two HC benches deal with the revenue-related cases. But they are not independent as they dispose of other cases, too.

The new two benches will deal with only cases regarding tax, VAT and income tax, said the minister.

Besides, two draft proposals on the formation of ADR Commission were presented on behalf of the law ministry at the meeting.

“ADR commission can be formed anytime and the unsettled cases can be shifted to the ADR for quick disposal,” the law minister said.

Attorney-General Mahbube Alam, finance secretary Dr. Mohammad Tarek and NBR chairman Dr. Nasiruddin Ahmed, among others, attended the meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.

The Finance Minister said it should be made mandatory to place revenue-related allegations with the ADR before filing cases.

Business representatives, however, proposed the formation of a committee to finalize the issues apart from seeking one-month time to discuss it among themselves.

BDST: 2052 HRS. AUG 29, 2010