Telecoms regulator acting indifferently

A parliamentary body yesterday asked the authorities concerned to resolve outstanding differences centering on the renewal of 2G licences of Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell within the next seven days.
The parliamentary standing committee on post and telecommunications ministry also expressed disappointment over the activities of Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL), especially over its declining customer services and dwindling number of international calls to three crore minutes from five crore minutes.
“On the stand-off centring around the licence renewal of four mobile phone operators, we have recommended that Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission [BTRC], National Board of Revenue [NBR], and the operators should sign a memorandum of understanding,” Hasanul Haq Inu, chief of the panel, told newsmen after a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Differing with the recommendations, BTRC Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Zia Ahmed said the MoU should be between the attorney general, the ministries concerned and the mobile operators, according to meeting sources.
Inu said the committee expressed concern over the slow process of renewing the licences. “We have supported the decision taken by the finance minister-led government committee, which had opined in favour of signing the MoU between the BTRC, NBR and the mobile phone operators.”
The meeting was held on July 26.
The operators have filed cases in the High Court over the licence renewal issue. The telecom regulator also moved the Supreme Court with appeal petitions. All the cases are still pending with the courts.
Regarding the cases, Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Inu said if the MoU is signed, both the sides will withdraw their cases. Therefore, signing of the MoU is very important.
Asked about the BTRC chairman's objection to the signing of the MoU, he said it was not a matter of concern. The committee has asked the telecom ministry to resolve the issue without any further delay.
Talking to The Daily Star over the phone after the meeting, BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed said the government should not impose any decision on the regulator. Rather, suggestions should come from the regulator to the government.
But if the ministry orders the regulator to renew the licences and extend the deadline for payment of fees, the BTRC would follow that, he added.
According to the telecom law, he said, the operators should get their licences on full payment of the fees.
The government will lose several hundred crores of taka if the operators are allowed to pay the renewal fees and spectrum charges in three instalments as recommended by the ministry, mentioned Zia.