High Court Dismisses Grameen Kalyan Petitions, Orders Payment of Tk 666 Crore Tax Dues

DHAKA — The High Court has rejected two individual writ petitions submitted by Grameen Kalyan—an organization associated with Nobel laureate and former interim government Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus—challenging a reassessed tax demand exceeding Tk 600 crore. As a result of the ruling, the institution is now obligated to deposit approximately Tk 666 crore into the national treasury. The judgment was handed down on Thursday by a High Court bench composed of Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Miah and Justice Rezaul Karim. Background of the Legal Dispute The dispute traces back to a reassessment by tax authorities covering five assessment years between 2012–13 and 2016–17, which generated additional tax liabilities for Grameen Kalyan. In 2017, the organization initiated legal action by filing two writ petitions contesting the validity of the additional claims, leading to an initial rule from the High Court. After completing final hearings, the High Court issued a verdict on October 17, 2023, setting aside the Tax Commissioner's original order. That decision permitted Grameen Kalyan a 60-day window to file an appeal under specific statutory conditions despite previous delays. However, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) appealed that decision to the Appellate Division. On March 11, 2024, the apex court disposed of the NBR's petitions and instructed the High Court to conduct a fresh review of the fundamental arguments raised in Grameen Kalyan's original writs. Procedural Delays and Final Judgment Following the directive to rehear the case, a separate bench dismissed the petitions on August 4, 2024. That judgment was subsequently voided on August 29 after it was revealed that one of the presiding judges had previously served as a Deputy Attorney General representing the state in the same matter, rendering the proceedings procedurally flawed. The case was then remitted to the Chief Justice, who reassigned the matter to the bench led by Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Miah. Following new arguments, the bench officially dismissed the petitions on Thursday. Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Abdus Samad Azad confirmed that Grameen Kalyan owes roughly Tk 666 crore in unpaid taxes across the five-year period. He noted that the tax authority will formally issue a demand notice granting a 30-day window for settlement once the certified copy of the judgment is released. Response from Grameen Kalyan's Defense Senior counsel Abdullah Al Mamun, representing Grameen Kalyan, acknowledged that the writ petitions contesting the Tk 666 crore tax demand were dismissed by the court. He stated that the defense team will evaluate the complete text of the judgment once available and intends to challenge the verdict by filing an appeal with the Appellate Division. During the proceedings, senior advocates Fida M. Kamal, Sardar Jinnat Ali, and Abdullah Al Mamun appeared for Grameen Kalyan, while Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Abdus Samad Azad represented the state.