ACC sues ex-official over Tk152cr tax waiver to telcos
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today filed a case against Wahida Rahman Chowdhury, former commissioner of the Large Taxpayers Unit-Value Added Tax (LTU-VAT), over allegations of illegally waiving off interest of about Tk152 crore from four mobile phone operators.
ACC Assistant Director Shah Alam Sheikh filed the case under the Corruption Prevention Act of 1947.
According to the case document, Wahida Rahman, during her tenure as commissioner of the LTU-VAT office from 2020 to 2022, allegedly abused her power and illegally waived Tk152 crore in unpaid VAT interest accrued by four mobile phone operators – Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Airtel.
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Of the amount, Grameenphone was exempted from paying about Tk59 crore, Banglalink Digital Communication Limited about Tk58 crore, Robi Axiata Limited about Tk15 crore, and Airtel Bangladesh Limited over Tk20 crore.
Wahida Rahman is now on post-retirement leave, said ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmin.
"The case was filed based on an investigation report that was conducted by the National Board of Revenue member Hossain Ahmed with two deputies," said Yasmin.
Wahida Rahman Chowdhury denied the allegations.
"I worked honestly in my public servant tenure and did not let the state lose any money," she told TBS.
She further said, "Besides, ACC did not conduct any inquiry into the matter or take my statement before filing the case. Moreover, the issue is already under trial in the High Court. ACC cannot file a case on such a sub judice matter."
