Tk 45cr tax evasion by Warid detected

Tk 45cr tax
evasion by
Warid detected
Anis Alamgir
Customs authorities have detected evasion of taka 45 crore import duty by Warid Telecom (Bangladesh) which was termed the largest case of tax evasion in the recent times.
An evaluation team of the Customs detected this irregularity while auditing the import documents submitted to them. About two years ago the cell phone company imported the telecom equipment. But the evaluation team detected gross under- valuation and misclassification of the imported goods and asked the mobile operator to pay duty properly.
“We have given more than three letters but the cell phone company paid no heed to our letters’, said an officer of the Dhaka Custom House.
Finally, the Warid has appealed to the NBR authority to reconsider their case but the appeal board rejected the plea.
Insider of Warid Telecom hinted that they would go to the High Court to get “proper justice”.
Many apprehended that the realisation of the tax evaded by the company would be tougher after the acquisition of 70 per cent stake of the Warid by the Indian telecom giant Bharati Airtel.
*****