Appointment of administrators unlawful: GP, Robi
Their reactions came after the government has approved the BTRC's recommendation to appoint administrators for them amid an ongoing row over dues
The Grameenphone and the Robi authorities on Thursday said the appointment of administrators for the two leading mobile operators to realise audit claims is fundamentally flawed.
Their reactions came after the government has approved the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission's (BTRC) recommendation to appoint administrators for them amid an ongoing row over dues.
They hoped that the government will rethink such an unlawful option before the court arrives at a decision on the matter.
They said they want to solve the dispute through discussions while the posts and telecommunication ministry said the operators did not comply with their directives.
In a statement, Hossain Sadat, head of Regulatory and acting head of Communications of Grameenphone, said, "We would like to reaffirm our commitment to reaching a transparent and amicable resolution to the disputed BTRC audit claim through a constructive dialogue."
The High Court Division has passed a stay order restraining the BTRC, from taking any steps towards realisation or enforcement of the Audit Demand that was sent to Grameenphone. The court also stayed operation of the BTRC letter related to the suspension of no objection certificate for import of equipment, software and suspension of tariff and service package approvals, he added.
On the other hand, Robi thinks appointment of an administrator would go down as the darkest chapter in the history of the telecom industry that is pivotal to the implementation of Digital Bangladesh vision.
In a statement, Robi's Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam said they have not yet received any formal notification regarding the appointment of an administrator.
"However, we would like to reiterate that a case is currently pending before a competent court of law. Against this backdrop, the appointment of an administrator can only be deemed as unlawful since the matter is subject to adjudication in the court," said Shahed Alam.
He also said, "Needless to say it will also make an irreparable damage to the country's image as a safe destination for foreign investment."