Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Thursday issued an ad-interim injunction for two months against the realisation of Tk 12,580 crore from GrameenPhone by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
The High Court Bench of Justice A K M Abdul Hakim and Justice Fatema Najib passéd the order after admitting an appeal filed by GP challenging a lower court order that rejected its application seeking a directive on the BTRC asking not to realise the demand and not to harass the GP.
The court also fixed November 5 for hearing the appeal filed by GP.
Barrister Tanim Hussain Shawon, who appeared in the court for GP, said that the court also issued a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why they should not be restrained to realise the demand money from GP till dispose of the civil suit in the trial court.
BTRC, concerned audit firm and NBR have to comply with the rule within two weeks. Advocate A M Aminuddin and Dr Sharif Bhuiyan also appeared in the court on behalf of the GP while Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Raquib stood for the BTRC.
Barrister Tanim Hussain said that BTRC on April 2 this year demanded Tk 12,580 crore 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. He said BTRC’s demand was illogical as there are several cases pending with different courts, including the High Court, over the demand. Barrister Tanim Hussain also said a Dhaka court on August 28 rejected the GP application following which GP filed an appeal with the HC challenging the Dhaka court’s rejection order. After admitting the appeal, the HC on Thursday issued the injunction order.
