Economic Reporter :
Bangladesh’s top court has ordered BRAC, one of the largest NGOs of the world, to pay Tk 4.04 billion towards income tax.
An appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha on Wednesday has overturned the 2014 High Court verdict, which had exempted the NGO from taxes considering it to be a charitable organisation.
The Appellate Division has upheld taxes tribunal’s order, which instructed BRAC to pay Tk 4.04 billion in income tax for 11 years between 1993 and 2012.
A deputy tax commissioner had assessed the dues, after which BRAC moved the appellate commissioner but failed to get an order in their favour.
The NGO had then challenged it at the taxes appellate tribunal, where it fixed Tk 4 billion as dues towards income tax.
BRAC then went to High Court and in December 2014, the court ruled in favour of them.
The commissioner of taxes moved the Appellate Division last year.
In September the same year, the court accepted the plea for hearing and instructed BRAC to pay half the amount in instalments within a year.
The State filed a regular appeal as the taxes commissioner’s petition was accepted, which the Supreme Court heard on Wednesday before giving its order.
Bangladesh’s top court has ordered BRAC, one of the largest NGOs of the world, to pay Tk 4.04 billion towards income tax.
An appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha on Wednesday has overturned the 2014 High Court verdict, which had exempted the NGO from taxes considering it to be a charitable organisation.
The Appellate Division has upheld taxes tribunal’s order, which instructed BRAC to pay Tk 4.04 billion in income tax for 11 years between 1993 and 2012.
A deputy tax commissioner had assessed the dues, after which BRAC moved the appellate commissioner but failed to get an order in their favour.
The NGO had then challenged it at the taxes appellate tribunal, where it fixed Tk 4 billion as dues towards income tax.
BRAC then went to High Court and in December 2014, the court ruled in favour of them.
The commissioner of taxes moved the Appellate Division last year.
In September the same year, the court accepted the plea for hearing and instructed BRAC to pay half the amount in instalments within a year.
The State filed a regular appeal as the taxes commissioner’s petition was accepted, which the Supreme Court heard on Wednesday before giving its order.
