DHAKA, Nov 24, 2019 (BSS) – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court
(SC) today ordered mobile phone operator Grameenphone (GP) to pay Taka 2,000
crore to Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) within three months.
A seven-member apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud
Hossain passed the order this morning, upholding a High Court injunction on
realizing around Taka 12,580 crore due from GP.
“But if the mobile phone operator failed to comply with the order, the
High Court injunction will become vacate and any legal procedure can be drawn
against it,” GP lawyer Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury told newsmen.
Earlier on November 14, GP had informed the apex court that it is ready to
pay Taka 200 crore to BTRC as per a proposal made in a recent meeting with
the finance minister and the posts and telecommunications minister.
Advocate AM Aminuddin, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Barrister
Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury took part in the hearing for GP, while Attorney
General Mahbubey Alam and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib moved the case
for the state.
A High Court division bench comprising Justice AKM Abdul Hakim and Justice
Fatema Najib had passed the interim order on October 17, allowing an appeal
filed by the mobile phone operator against a lower court order.
BTRC on April 2 demanded around Taka 12,580 crore from GP as due in
different items. The telecom operator later filed a case with the lower
court, seeking a temporary injunction on realizing the money.
But the court on August 28 scrapped the plea of GP, making it to file the
appeal with the High Court.