State-run mobile phone operator Teletalk has not deposited approximately Tk 45 crore in value added tax (VAT), collected from its customers, to the public exchequer, according to an audit report of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The report said that from July 2018 to June 2023, Teletalk evaded a total of Tk 44.63 crore in surcharge, supplementary duty, improper rebate, source tax and other forms of VAT. Of the total amount, Tk 26.29 crore was evaded between July 2018 and June 2021 while Tk 17.76 crore between July 2021 and June 2023.
Teletalk’s Director and Additional Secretary of Finance Division Mohammad Saiful Islam told media, “The issue of VAT evasion was placed at our board meeting. A committee has been formed to review the issue. Several meetings have already taken place and more meetings are scheduled to take place. We will be able to provide clarification in this regard, once the verification process is completed.”
When asked if such VAT evasion by a government entity might encourage other companies to engage in bad practices, Saiful Islam replied, “It is not about whether the entity is public or private. As responsible citizens of the country, all should pay their taxes.”
According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), currently the country has around 194.2 million mobile phone subscribers.
Grameenphone is the leading telecom operator in the country with highest 85.2 million subscribers, followed by Robi Axiata with 58.9 million, Banglalink with 43.5 million, and Teletalk with only 6.5 million subscribers.
Teletalk Bangladesh Limited was registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies of Bangladesh on December 26, 2004.
Although Teletalk drew huge response from the people when it commenced commercial operations in 2005, the state-run telecom operator has failed to live up to their expectations in the highly competitive mobile phone market.
