Banglalink pays part of BTRC audit claim

Banglalink yesterday made a payment to government coffers which partially accedes to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission's (BTRC) claim of dues based on an audit for the 1996-2019 period.

In August 2021, the BTRC had assigned Masih Muhith Haque & Co and ANB Solution Pvt Ltd to audit Banglalink for the period from November 1996 to December 2019.

The audit was finalised in April this year and in the middle of this year the BTRC instructed clearing dues amounting to around Tk 820 crore.

Of the amount, Tk 225 crore was against 2G renewal fees.

Banglalink has been paying it in instalments, depositing Tk 14.16 crore yesterday, clearing Tk 108.4 crore till date.

Another Tk 165.7 crore, which was paid yesterday, was concerning VAT, tax and fees, revenue sharing dues, handset royalty and frequency usage, according to a BTRC official.

The remaining amount, Tk 430 crore, was claimed as late fees.

"It's good that Banglalink paid the principal amount, paving the way for discussion on late fees," Musfiq Mannan Choudhury, a BTRC commissioner, told The Daily Star yesterday.

The BTRC is complying with the telecom minister's directives on collecting audit claims, he said.

"As a compliant company, Banglalink consistently adheres to regulatory instructions," said Banglalink Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman.

"Recently, BTRC issued an instruction to Banglalink, requiring the payment of the principal amount as per the BTRC Audit Report," he said.

"Despite our strong reservations regarding the audit findings, we have complied with the instruction and deposited Tk 165 crore," he said.

"Banglalink has consistently communicated its commitment to mutually resolving the BTRC audit outcome, and this deposit underscores our trust in achieving an amicable resolution," he added.