Dhaka, Nov. 28 -- The digitised system of value-added tax (VAT) now operates in a state vulnerable towards collection fiasco for a lack of proper maintenance for unavailability of funds, sources say.

Many of its backup systems already went out of order while other services were facing disruptions, affecting smooth operation of the countrywide online VAT-collection system, they add.

Officials expressed the fear that unless necessary measures were taken immediately, the automated system could collapse and the VAT- collection target for the current fiscal year would unlikely be achieved.

The Integrated VAT Administration System (IVAS) was developed under a VAT Online Project (VOP) costing Tk 6.90 billion jointly funded by the World Bank a...