The National Board of Revenue cancelled exemption of mobile phone operator Robi’s value-added tax of Tk 82.68 crore because it did not submit a chalan against the exempted amount, said NBR officials on Tuesday.
The Large Taxpayers Unit of the NBR on Tuesday cancelled the exemption and decided to adjust the amount from the money which Robi had kept as deposit in the LTU, said officials.
The LTU sent a letter to Robi and said that it could appeal against the decision if it has any objection.
NBR officials said that rebate was given to Robi in its VAT on 2G (second generation) licence renewal fees and other charges.
Robi’s officials, however, said the there was no law which justified the
imposition of such a VAT on licence and spectrum fees.
‘We discussed this issue with the NBR officials on Tuesday morning and no resolution was taken at the meeting,’ Robi’s vice-president, Mohiuddin Babar, told New Age.
NBR officials said that they had securitised the VAT return of Robi and found that it took VAT exemption of Tk 82,68,48,000 against VAT payable services in August 2012 but did not submit any chalan against the exempted amount.
According to the VAT Act 1991, if such a crucial document is missing, it is a punishable crime and the exemption is cancellable, they said.
‘So the NBR cancelled the exemption and adjusted the amount in line with the VAT Act 1991,’ said an NBR official.
However, Robi will be able to appeal to the LTU against the decision, he said.
Grameen phone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell in August renewed their 2G licences for 15 years and paid two instalments of around Tk 6,500
crore as fees, including 15 per cent VAT.
Courtesy of New Age
