High Court scraps BTRC’s letters to GP

The High Court yesterday scrapped three letters issued by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), asking Grameenphone to pay Tk 30 crore of fine for providing broadband internet services under Go Broadband.

The court, however, ordered BTRC to issue a fresh letter to Grameenphone under sections 63 and 65 of the telecom act in four months.

The HC also asked BTRC to assess through the auditor general the damages caused due to Grameenphone’s continuation of providing NTTN internet service till 2016, even after its tenure expired.         

The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by Grameenphone, challenging the legality of BTRC’s letters imposing the fine of Tk 30 crore.

Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib appeared for BTRC, while Barrister Juanyed Ahmed Bhuiyan appeared for Grameenphone.   

BTRC issued three letters on November 6 and 29, 2016 and on January 1, 2017 asking Grameenphone to pay Tk 30 crore as fine for providing broadband internet services -- under Go Broadband -- illegally to Sonali Bank.

Grameenphone filed the writ petition with the HC in February 2017, challenging the legality of the BTRC letters.

Following the writ petition, the HC on February 9, 2017 issued a rule asking BTRC to explain why the letters should not be declared illegal and stayed the effectiveness of the letters.