Staff Reporter :
Grameenphone (GP) on Thursday informed the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court that they are agree to pay now Tk 2 billion to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) from its claim of Tk 125.79 billion dues in two installments in the light of the proposals accepted on October 3 in a out of court settlement.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, who appeared in the court on behalf of Grameenphone, said, on October 3, five proposals were made at a meeting held among Grameenphone, finance minister and telecommunications minister.
One of the proposals said GP will pay Tk 2 billion to BTRC in two installments on condition that the commission will remove restrictions imposed on Grameenphone, added the lawyer.
Opposing the Grameenphone lawyer, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam on behalf of BTRC, proposed in the court that the mobile phone operator should deposit at least 50 per cent of the claimed money. Then a discussion could take place for the payment of the remaining money.
At the same time the attorney general prayed to the court to stay the High Court order, issuing injunction on the BTRC claim.
After hearing the parties, a six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain fixed November 18 to pass order on the matter.
It could be known on that day how much money GP have to pay to BTRC from its dues, said the concerned lawyers.
The Appellate Division on October 31 wanted to know from Grameenphone that how much money it could pay now to BTRC from its dues and granted two weeks time to the mobile phone operator to comply. Subsequently the case came into the yesterday’s cause-list of the apex court.
Advocate AM Aminuddin and Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury also appeared in the court on behalf of Grameenphone and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib for BTRC.
On October 17, 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 in 27 items illogically.
Then GP 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. Then GP filed an appeal with the HC challenging the Dhaka court’s rejection order.
On October 23, BTRC filed a regular leave to appeal petition against the High Court order of issuing injunction upon the realisation of BTRC claim.
