Pay Tk 138cr in 5 months
The High Court yesterday directed mobile operator Robi Axiata Ltd to pay Tk 138 crore of what it owes Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.
The carrier has been asked to pay the money in five equal instalments in five months.
The HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order after it heard an appeal filed by Robi seeking an injunction against BTRC realising Tk 867.23 crore.
BTRC lawyer Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib told The Daily Star that the HC came up with the order in line with the Supreme Court directive that asked Grameenphone to pay Tk 2,000 crore out of Tk 12,580 crore “it owes”.
Tanjib-ul Alam and Kazi Ershadul Alam appeared for Robi.
On July 31 last year, the telecom regulator issued a notice asking the carrier to pay Tk 867.23 crore “dues”.
Later, Robi filed an appeal with a lower court in Dhaka seeking an injunction on realisation of the money, but the court turned down the petition.
Robi in October last year submitted the appeal to the HC seeking an injunction on the BTRC’s move to realise money.
On October 20, the HC admitted the appeal for hearing.
Following the same appeal, the HC on November 25 issued a rule asking the BTRC to explain as to why it should not be ordered to refrain from realising Tk 867.23 crore from the carrier.
On November 24 last year, the SC ordered Grameenphone to pay Tk 2,000 crore, around 10 times higher than what the carrier was willing to pay as adjustable deposit, to the telecom regulator.
Earlier, the BTRC separately audited Grameenphone and Robi from their inception until December 2014 and claimed Tk 12,579.95 crore from Grameenphone and Tk 867.24 crore from Robi.
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