Robi pays Tk 190m in back taxes, ready to resolve 'other issues' with NBR

Robi has paid Tk 190 million in back taxes after the National Board of Revenue or NBR asked banks to freeze the operator's accounts for not paying up overdue taxes.

The second largest mobile telecom operator in the country is also ready to resolve other disputes relating to 'tax evasion' through the Alternative Dispute Resolution or ADR that allows parties to sort out disputes outside courts.

A meeting between officials of the NBR and Robi Axiata will be held on Monday, according to NBR Commissioner Matiur Rahman.

"Rabi has paid Tk 187.29 million in taxes they had evaded within the deadline we gave them to pay. So, we have rescinded our previous order and asked banks not to freeze its accounts," Matiur told bdnews24.com on Sunday.

"The company has also shown its willingness to resolve other tax evasion cases in discussion with the NBR. We are going to sit on Monday to discuss the issues," added the chief of NBR's Large Taxpayers Unit .

When contacted, a Robi official, involved in the process, declined to comment on the matter.

The NBR had issued the directive to the banks on Feb 26 to freeze Robi accounts for three days.

The company moved the High court and obtained a rule in its favour but the NBR appealed against the order in Supreme Court and received a freeze on the High Court ruling.

The company then agreed to pay the amount claimed by the NBR as outstanding or evaded amount of tax.

Robi had earlier claimed there was no issue of tax evasion and so, it declined to pay the amount claimed by the NBR.