HC orders Grameen Telecom to deposit Tk 500m for tax appeal

The High Court has ordered Grameen Telecom to deposit Tk 500 million before filing income tax appeals for the 2011–12 and 2012–13 tax years.

The High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir passed the order on Monday, rejecting a petition filed by Grameen Telecom against the order to deposit 25 per cent of the money. As a result, Grameen Telecom will have to deposit Tk 500 million and then appeal, lawyers said.

Barrister Mostafizur Rahman stood for Grameen Telecom, while Assistant Attorney General Barrister Tahmina Akhter represented the state.

"In November 2020, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) sent a notice to Grameen Telecom demanding Tk 2.5 billion in income tax for the two years. Later, Grameen Telecom asked for a waiver as there was no money,” said Barrister Tahmina.

After the application was rejected by the NBR, they sought a waiver of income tax. But then they had about Tk 4 billion in one account, she said.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a notice asking for income tax money, mentioning that there was money in the account. Later, Grameen Telecom filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the NBR's notice. The court also issued a rule on why the notice should not be declared illegal. After visiting different courts in the last three years, the case came to the concerned bench of the High Court.

After hearing the petition on Monday, the court dismissed the writ petition of Grameen Telecom. At the same time, the court ordered Grameen Telecom to deposit 25 per cent of the income tax demanded as per the rules and then file an appeal against the NBR.