DHAKA: Grameenphone has evaded Tk 7 crore 25 lakh in Value Added Tax (VAT) without paying for the place and its establishments.
The Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) has sent the final demand notice for payment of the vat.
A source of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said that it has sent the notice on Monday (January 29).
The NBR sources informed that the GP company from July to December of 2017 did not pay vat for its place and establishments to the tune of Taka 7 crore 25 lakhs. In the demand notice it has been mentioned that for the place and establishments 9 percent vat is applicable; but more than 150 square feet of place used for commercial purpose is not included in it.
But the place exceeding the tax free limit is included under the net of vat. The GP will deduct the vat while paying rent to the owner of the place. But in this case though GP has paid the rent but the vat was not deposited in the government exchequer. So the evaded the money must be paid by GP.
Not only that according to the law of 1991 relating to vat in the sub clause 3 it shall have to pay the interest at the rate of 2 percent of the unpaid amount. The interest is applicable from the primary demand notice date.
On the other hand the GP has been evading vat one after another. Though the NBR is on the hard line still the evasion is going on. The NBR is unveiling the evasion story one by one.
Earlier from 2007 to 2012 in the name of changing SIM it evaded Tk 1023 thousand crore 23 lakh 31 thousand, from July 2012 to June 2015 in the name of SIM changing more Tk 378 crore 95 lakh was evaded.
From July 2011 to June 2015 GP evaded vat to the tune of Tk 19 crore 6 lakh due for place and establishments. Besides, for place and establishment it evaded more Tk 4 crore 80 lakhs and Tk 12 crore 56 lakh respectively. Again it evaded Tk 452 crore 53 lakhs on SIM tax and beyond rule the concession of Tk 29 crore 15 lakhs.
Regarding the matter, GP Head of External Communication Syed Talat Kamal told Banglanews: “I know nothing about it. If you want to know some thing I can inform you after discussing with the higher authority’.
The LTU of NBR commissioner Md. Matiur Rahman told Banglanews that a huge amount is due to GP as evasion. Though all other organizations pay vat for place and establishments but the GP does not pay. Whenever its evasion is unveiled it takes the course of court. Even many evasion cases were proved in the court. The government is being deprived of the money due to them for non payment of vat.
He further told that the GP has evaded vat of Tk 7 crore 25 lakh for place and establishments. The final demand notice has been sent to them to pay it as early as possible. Otherwise legal measures will be taken against them, he added.
BDST: 1324 HRS, JAN 30, 2018
SJN/SI