The National Board of Revenue will collect about Tk700 crore from Jamuna Group for tax evasion.
Jamuna's Aromatic Cosmetics evaded VAT and supplementary tax between 1996 and 2000. The Dhaka North VAT Commissionerate initially claimed Tk174.49 crore in two cases from the company but it procrastinated.
The NBR could not collect the VAT after the company moved the High Court in 2003, but both of its writ petitions were later scrapped.
In 2005, Jamuna Group filed a leave-to-appeal against the HC order, further delaying the VAT collection.
A full bench of the Appellate Division on March 16 this year issued a verdict in the government's favour after a final hearing, clearing all legal hurdles.
In a statement on Sunday, the NBR said the VAT Act imposes a 2% monthly interest on overdue VAT. As a result, Jamuna Group will have to pay nearly Tk700 crore, including interest.
NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said at the order of the prime minister and finance minister, the NBR had prioritised resolving cases that had been pending at court for a long time.
He said the defaulter would have to pay up now.
“Special measures have been taken in liaison with the attorney general's office to resolve big cases. This will expedite revenue collection and send [strong] messages to defaulters,” the NBR chief said in a press release statement.
“The NBR is far more active in collecting revenue than before,” he added.