SC defers order on BTRC petition
The Supreme Court has deferred its order until November 24 on a petition filed by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) seeking a stay on the High Court order that issued an injunction on its move to realise Tk 12,580 crore due from Grameenphone.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain yesterday said a seven-member full bench will pass order on the issue on that day.
The apex court, however, asked Grameenphone not to pursue any arbitration process over the payment before any other forum during this period.
The BTRC’s stay petition was included in the cause list of the four-member SC bench for an order yesterday.
During the SC hearing on November 14 on the issue, Grameenphone has agreed to deposit Tk 200 crore with the BTRC against its claim of Tk 12,580 crore.
On the other hand, a lawyer for the BTRC told the SC that Grameenphone should clear 50 percent of the Tk 12,580 crore due now.
The telecom regulator claims the country’s two top mobile carriers including Grameenphone owe the state Tk 13,447 crore in revenue share, taxes and late fees until 2014, but the carriers disputed the amount.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Advocate AM Aminuddin and Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury appeared for Grameenphone while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib stood for the BTRC.
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