NBR-cell phone cos row deepens over Tk 30b stuck-up revenue

Doulot Akter Mala | Published: December 09, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The long-standing dispute between the revenue authority and cell phone operators on stuck-up revenue worth Tk 30 billion is getting complicated as both sides facing difficulties to come to a consensus on the due amount. Â
A committee, comprising representatives of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and cell phone operators was scheduled to submit a report by last month on the issue as per High Court (HC) order which is yet to be finalised.
Complexity in reaching a consensus is the major reason of delay in preparing the final report, sources said.
The committee has sought three more months to the HC to submit the report after coming to a consensus, sources added. Â
The committee recently requested the technical committee of Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to verify some documents submitted by cell phone companies, said a senior NBR official.
The BTRC committee is likely to give its opinion within next 15 days, he said.
Finalization of the report will be expedited after getting BTRC's opinion, he added.
Officials said the NBR claimed the dues worth Tk 30 billion from four cell phone companies against replacement of SIM card in 2012 while the companies declined to accept it.
The mobile phone operators filed a case in the court claiming that they had only replaced existing SIMs, not sold new ones.
Following the disputes, the HC instructed both NBR and cell phone operators to form a committee, headed by VAT commissioner (LTU) Abdul Kafi and prepare a report through discussion.
A committee, comprising representatives of cell phone operators, BTRC, Association of Mobile Telephone Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) and NBR, was instructed to finalise a report by November, he added.
The HC had set 120 days for resolving the issues through bilateral discussion by submitting a report within November 7 last.
HC extended time following request of the committee allowing the tax officials and cell phone owners to finalise the report.
Tax officials said the amount of the arrears may vary in the final report.
As per taxmen's estimate, the Grameenphone owes Tk 15.80 billion while Banglalink 7.74 billion, Airtel Tk 820 million and Robi Tk 6.64 billion to the government.
Tax officials said they have indentified the cell phone operators which had sold SIM to new subscribers from 2007 to 2011.
However, cell phone companies declined to accept NBR's claim. They said the companies just replaced lost or broken SIM to existing subscribers, not sold new ones.
There are four sub-committees under the main committee that will submit their respective reports.
From July 2007 to 2011, the NBR claimed replacement of 13.4 million SIMs by Grameenphone.
Tax officials said Airtel has replaced 5,55,217 SIMs from February 2009 to July 2009. Banglalink replaced 72 million SIMs from June 2009 to December 2011.
Robi replaced 5.2 million SIMs from March 2007 to December 2011.