BSS, Dhaka :
Telenor has no scope to move to any international platform over the outstanding dues of Taka 12,579 crore of its subsidiary Grameenphone (GP) unearthed by audit, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said.
“GP has been running business in Bangladesh on the basis of a treaty with BTRC,” said the regulatory body chairman Md Jahurul Haque at a press conference at BTRC auditorium referring to the legal notice served by Telenor on President Abdul Hamid recently.
“Our head of the state only deals with the government-to-government issues,” he opined.
On November 24, last year the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division directed GP to pay BTRC Taka 2,000 crore, an amount which is 10 times higher than what the operator was willing to pay as adjustable deposit to BTRC.
The apex court simultaneously ordered GP to pay the amount within the next three months, adding that otherwise BTRC could take any measure against the operator which included appointment of administrators for the company.
Jahurul said the mobile operators were serving huge number of customers with low spectrum that resulting in low service quality. In reply to a query regarding mobile phone operators’ claim that high price was the reason for their less spectrum acquisition, he said BTRC doesn’t have any authority to reduce spectrum price without the finance ministry’s approval, and commission would move ahead if it receives any proposal from the operators.
Speaking about the no-objection-certificate (NOC) issuance suspension that is hampering service quality improvement, the BTRC chairman said the commission was just complying with the court order.
Telenor has no scope to move to any international platform over the outstanding dues of Taka 12,579 crore of its subsidiary Grameenphone (GP) unearthed by audit, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said.
“GP has been running business in Bangladesh on the basis of a treaty with BTRC,” said the regulatory body chairman Md Jahurul Haque at a press conference at BTRC auditorium referring to the legal notice served by Telenor on President Abdul Hamid recently.
“Our head of the state only deals with the government-to-government issues,” he opined.
On November 24, last year the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division directed GP to pay BTRC Taka 2,000 crore, an amount which is 10 times higher than what the operator was willing to pay as adjustable deposit to BTRC.
The apex court simultaneously ordered GP to pay the amount within the next three months, adding that otherwise BTRC could take any measure against the operator which included appointment of administrators for the company.
Jahurul said the mobile operators were serving huge number of customers with low spectrum that resulting in low service quality. In reply to a query regarding mobile phone operators’ claim that high price was the reason for their less spectrum acquisition, he said BTRC doesn’t have any authority to reduce spectrum price without the finance ministry’s approval, and commission would move ahead if it receives any proposal from the operators.
Speaking about the no-objection-certificate (NOC) issuance suspension that is hampering service quality improvement, the BTRC chairman said the commission was just complying with the court order.
