Dhaka, March 6 -- Having settled 16 cases of unpaid taxes through alternative dispute resolution in 2019, the revenue board is now seeking to claim Tk 1.45 billion in interest on VAT paid earlier from the country's leading telecom operators, according to officials.

The officials say the interest was not included in the out-of-court settlements, while telecom companies argue that such unexpected interest claims could deter investors from choosing mediation over courtroom trials.

The Large Taxpayers Unit under the Value Added Tax (VAT) Wing recently identified the outstanding interest during a review of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) cases settled with Grameenphone, Robi Axiata and Banglalink.

Grameenphone would be required to pay ...