Public Health on Top

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) is once again facing allegations of evading large sum of taxes. Upon auditing files and documents, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has recently found evidence of the company evading a staggering BDT 2,054 crore in taxes. NBR has already ordered its Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) to collect the due amount. It should be noted that the company previously faced a lawsuit for evading BDT 1,924 crore of taxes and also tried to reach an out-of-court settlement through the then UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh. According to an investigative report of the Guardian, representatives of the UK Foreign Office and Department for International Trade (DTI) met BATB officials nine times on the issue of tax evasion. The company finally managed to make this blatant evasion appear 'legal' and obtain an exemption.

Similarly, in 2017-18, despite concrete proof of tax evasion worth more than BDT 2,000 crore, NBR provided BATB with another exemption through a special order. Notably, the then Chairman of NBR who signed the aforementioned special exemption order, also previously held a position at BATB's Board of Directors for a considerably long period. Our concern is that such a pattern may repeat itself, allowing BATB the opportunity to bag yet another exemption, this time worth BDT 2,054 crore.

It is impossible to build a tobacco-free country by 2040, as promised by the Honorable Prime Minister while keeping tobacco companies profitable. It is high time to pass the amendment of tobacco control law at the earliest and ensure proper implementation of FCTC Article 5.3.