Staff Reporter :
Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has found evidence in connection with the alleged misappropriation of several hundred crore taka by Robi, the country’s third largest mobile SIM Operation Company, said a deputy director of the Commission. Preferring anonymity he said, “We received documents in this regard during the current week from National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the said mobile operator.”
These documents will help the Commission fight with the allegation against Robi, he added. Meanwhile, the ACC sent letters again to these organisations asking for some other documents in this regard, he said.
According to the allegation, Robi has plundered several hundred crore taka through illegal voice over internet protocol (VoIP) business. It (Robi) also evaded tax in the name of SIM replacement. From March 2007 to June 2011, it sold over 52,000 SIM cards in the name of SIM replacement and evaded tax worth Tk 654.99 crore.
It is further alleged that the mobile operator has laundered a big chunk of the amount abroad and the ACC already initiated a probe in this connection.
A number of dishonest officials of Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and Telecommunications Ministry are reportedly linked with this corruption.
It is to be noted that Telecom Malaysia International and Bangladshi AK Khan and Company jointly launched the SIM card operation company Aktel in 1997. Later, the company was renamed Robi on March 28 in 2010 after Axiata Group Berhad, a Malaysia based company, and NTT DOCOMO INC, a Japan based company, purchased its all shares.
Axiata is the owner of 92 percent shares while DOCOMO bought eight percent of shares. Axiata also opened four more organisations, including E.co Bangladesh Ltd, a passive network infrastructure operator in Bangladesh, under the network of Robi. The income from the E.co has been siphoned off aboard, states various complaints.
