Tk 1.52bn interest waiver for telcos: Ex-VAT commissioner Waheeda accused of embezzlement

ACC prosecutes Waheeda for ‘embezzlement’ by causing damage to the government through abuse of power and criminal breach of trust

The Anti-Corruption Commission has prosecuted Waheeda Rahman Chowdhury, a former commissioner of the Large Taxpayers Unit, Value Added Tax for "embezzlement" through Tk 1.52 billion interest waiver for four mobile operators.

She allegedly embezzled funds by causing damage to the government through abuse of power and criminal breach of trust, according to the case filed at the ACC’s integrated district office, Dhaka-1 by its Assistant Director Md Shah Alam Sheikh on Tuesday.

ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen briefed the media about the case, which states that Waheeda waived Tk 586.49 million interest in favour of Grameenphone, Tk 578.85 million of Banglalink, Tk 149.41 million of 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.

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

Commissioner 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.

Waheeda told bdnews24.com that the charges against her were still under trial, and the National Board of Revenue was aware of it.