SC orders restoring Citycell network
The Appellate Division on Thursday asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to restore Citycell’s network immediately on condition that the country’s first mobile phone operator will pay Tk 100 crore to the telecom regulator by November 19.
The court also asked the BTRC to disconnect the mobile company’s network if it failed to pay the amount within the stipulated time.
The court also constituted a three-member special committee headed by Jamilur Reza Chowdhury to settle the dispute over the outstanding bill of the telecom company within 30 days.
A four-member bench headed by chief justice SK Sinha issued the directives after hearing a petition filed by Citycell seeking stay on the BTRC order that suspended operations on October 20 night.
BTRC, on October 24, in a letter sought permission from the posts and telecommunication ministry to cancel Citycell’s mobile phone operating licence.
On August 17, the BTRC in a notice asked Citycell to explain in 30 days why its operating licence would not be cancelled for its failure to pay arrear dues worth Tk 477. 51 crore.
In the petition Citycell submitted in the apex court that the BTRC illegally shut down its operation on October 20, two days after it paid Tk 130.19 crore, two-thirds of the total arrear dues of Tk 216.56 crore, in compliance with a directive issued by the Appellate Division on August 29.
The apex court directive requires Citycell to pay the remaining one-third of the outstanding dues within a month from the date of payment of the first installment, submitted the petitioner.
Officials said that the accounts of the BTRC and the Citycell differed with regard to the arrear outstanding dues.
The Citycell also submitted that the BTRC did not allocate it 10.18 MHz bandwidth spectrum flouting an agreement the two sides signed on August 7, 2012.
Citycell submitted that it was given 8.55 MHz spectrum—6.3 MHz for national- wide use—2.52 MHz for Dhaka Central zone’s use.
Due to this reason, it submitted Citycell neither got the needed investments nor fully clear the outstanding dues.
- See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/2003/sc-orders-restoring-citycell-network#sthash.Qi6lrxO7.dpuf
