GP may go to court over BTRC claims

Grameenphone may go to the court against the audit findings of the telecom regulator to protect the company's interest if needed, said its Chairman Sigve Brekke yesterday.
Brekke said GP has already raised the concern with the management of Telenor, the majority shareholder of the company, but no decision has yet been taken.
“We are not going to pay the Tk 30 billion,” he told reporters at a press briefing at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city.
Brekke said he wants the audit to be done in a proper way -- a position the country's leading mobile phone operator has maintained since October 3, when Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) sent a letter to GP claiming that the operator owes Tk 3,034 crore to the regulator in unpaid tax and revenue.
Since then, GP has requested the regulator to withdraw the letter.
Brekke also said there are still scopes to sit with the BTRC to settle the issue, as the audit did not maintain international standards.
The GP chairman said there may be some shortcomings on his company's part, but one cannot send a letter claiming Tk 30 billion without giving the audit report.
“You cannot put a date in the letter before giving us it to go through and give us a chance to explain our position,” he said.
Brekke hoped the audit issue would not be linked with the mobile phone company's licence renewal process.
According to the letter, GP will have to pay the outstanding amount by October 23, otherwise the regulator might take legal action.
Telecom Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju also said yesterday his ministry would look into the audit issue when it comes to his table.
In a meeting yesterday, the parliamentary standing committee on the telecommunication ministry recommended auditing the mobile operators' accounts every year to avoid any confusion in future.