Trial against Dr Yunus: 24-page full text verdict published

The High Court (HC) has published the 24-page full text of the verdict that asked Grameen Telecom Trust Chairman Dr Muhammad Yunus to deposit Tk50 crore to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on behalf of the company for the tax years 2011 to 2013 before filing an appeal against the claim. 

A High Court division bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir came up with the judgment on February 12.

The verdict was published on Thursday. 

"NBR sent a notice to Grameen Telecom Trust in November, 2020, claiming around Tk250 crore in income tax for the tax years 2011 to 2013. Grameen Telecom Trust challenged the notice at the High Court and filed a writ. After holding a hearing on the writ, the High Court had issued a rule, asking to explain as to why it shall not declare the notice illegal," Assistant Attorney General Barrister Tahmina Poli said.

According to the prosecution, Grameen Telecom Trust after getting the notice, had pleaded for tax waiver, saying they don't have the money, whereas, the trust had around Tk350-400 crore in its account at that time.

The High Court recently scrapped the writ petition filed by the trust and asked it to deposit Tk50 crore first to file an appeal against NBR notice.