Court issues overseas travel ban on former NBR commissioner Waheeda

The former VAT commissioner is accused in a case initiated by the ACC over interest waivers of Tk 1.52 billion for four mobile operators

A Dhaka court has imposed an overseas travel ban on Waheeda Rahman Chowdhury, a former commissioner of the National Board of Revenue, in a case initiated by the Anti-Corruption Commission over interest waivers of Tk 1.52 billion extended to four mobile operators.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain delivered the order on Thursday.

The judge decided on an application by the investigating officer of the case. Mahmud Hossain Jahangir represented the ACC at the hearing.

The court imposed a 60-day foreign travel ban on the former commissioner of the NBR’s Large Taxpayers Unit, Value Added Tax.

A letter regarding the travel ban, signed by ACC Assistant Director Md Shah Alam Sheikh, was sent to the special superintendent (immigration) of the police Special Branch on Thursday.

Commissioner Waheeda allegedly embezzled funds and caused damage to the government through abuse of power and a criminal breach of trust, according to the case filed at the ACC’s integrated district office, Dhaka-1 on Jun 11.

Reliable sources said Waheeda was trying to leave the country, the ACC lawyer said, adding that the overseas travel of the accused must be suspended until a fair investigation is complete.

The ACC case statement said Waheeda waived Tk 586.48 million in interest for Grameenphone, Tk 578.85 million for Banglalink, Tk 149.41 million for Robi, and Tk 205.3 million for Airtel, totalling over Tk 1.52 billion.

The companies had agreed to pay the VAT applicable on land and establishments in an Alternative Dispute Resolution and paid nearly Tk 1.9 billion.

However, the payment was not made within the prescribed tax period, leading to Tk 1.52 billion payable in interest.

Waheeda ordered a quick calculation of the interest, but changed the decision to collect interest for “dishonest purposes in a single executive order through abuse of power and criminal breach of trust by showing some arguments”, according to the charges brought in the case.

The charges have been brought under Section 218/409 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947.