BTRC’s audit claim of Tk 125.79 billion
Supreme court orders GP to pay Tk 20 billion within three months
GP will seek review of the order
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The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the Grameenphone (GP) to pay Tk 20 billion within three months from the audit claim of Tk 125.79 billion by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
If the Grameenphone fails to pay the amount within the stipulated time then the High Court injunction against the realisation of Tk 125.79 billion by BTRC would be vacated, the apex court added.
The court, in its ruling, said, “High Court (injunction) order is maintained subject to the payment of Tk 20 billion, in default the injunction stands vacated.”
A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after disposing of a petition filed by BTRC.
Advocate AM Aminuddin, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, and Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury took part in the hearing on behalf of Grameenphone while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam in person and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib appeared for BTRC.
Barrister Khandaker Reza said, “The Appellate Division ordered the Grameenphone to pay Tk 20 billion to BTRC immediately. If they fail to pay the amount then the BTRC could take legal action against Grameenphone.”
“This is not a final settlement. We claimed Tk 125.79 billion. A case is continuing in the trial court over the amount and another case is in High Court. The matter will be settled after disposing of the cases,” added the lawyer.
Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury said, “The Appellate Division gave three months time to Grameenphone for paying the amount. BTRC's claim of Tk 125.79 billion is a disputed amount. So, we will seek review of the apex court order once the full text gets published.”
On October 17, 2019, the High Court bench of Justice A K M Abdul Hakim and Justice Fatema Najib issued an ad-interim injunction for two months against the realisation of Tk 125.79 billion from Grameenphone by BTRC.
Barrister Tanim Hussain Shawon, who appeared in the High Court for GP, said that BTRC on April 2 this year demanded Tk 125.79 billion from GP illogically.
GP then filed an application to a Dhaka court seeking directive so that BTRC does not realise the money from it and does not harass the mobile operator until the case is disposed of.
A Dhaka court on August 28 rejected the GP application. The mobile operator then filed an appeal with the HC challenging the Dhaka court’s rejection order.
BTRC on October 23 filed a regular leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division against the High Court order of issuing injunction upon the realisation of BTRC claim. After hearing the leave petition the apex court disposed of the matter on Sunday.