‘Administrator in GP if full dues not paid by Feb 24’
Grameenphone wanted to pay Tk575 or 25 percent of the BTRC principal audit claim
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will not accept Tk500 crore out of Tk2,300 crore dues from mobile operator Grameenphone, said its Chairman Jahurul Haque.
BTRC will appoint administrator in Grameenphone if the mobile operator fails to pay the total due amount by February 24, Jahurul Haque said in an interview with Somoy TV.
Earlier on January 26, the telecom operator filed a review petition with the Appellate Division requesting the court to cut the amount it had been asked to pay.
Drawing examples from value-added tax (VAT) law in other courts, Grameenphone wanted to pay Tk575 crore or 25 percent of the principal audit claim of Tk2,300 crore.
The telecom regulator on April 2, 2019, demanded Tk12,580 crore from Grameenphone over irregularities.
In turn, the telecom operator filed a case with the lower court, seeking a temporary order on realising the money.
But the court on August 28 scrapped Grameenphone's plea, making it file an appeal with the High Court.
On October 17, the High Court bench of Justice AKM Abdul Hakim and Justice Fatima Nazib issued a two-month injunction against the BTRC's move.
Later, the BTRC appealed to the Appellate Division, seeking a stay order.
On November 18, the Appellate Division set November 24 to pass the order.
Meantime, the regulator also stopped issuing no objection certificate (NOC) to Grameenphone, not allowing it to import network infrastructure.
So the operator is failing to launch new products and number, and do its routine maintenance, said sources at Grameenphone.
On November 24, last year Appellate Division ordered Grameenphone to pay Tk2,000 crore to BTRC out of its disputed claim of Tk12,580 crore dues within the next three months.