DHAKA: The Supreme Court appellate division on Tuesday (July 25) ordered authorities concerned to re-allocate spectrum to mobile phone operator Citycell. 

A three-member appeal bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha passed the order after hearing a court of contempt against Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) filed by Citycell authority.

The court also ordered to reinstate Citycell’s license and fixed July 6 for giving its verdict on the court contempt case against BTRC chairman.

Earlier on Monday (July 25), BTRC has taken final decision to scrap Citycell’s license. 

On July 31 last year, BTRC asked Citycell subscribers to look for an alternate service provider in a public announcement. On August 14, state minister for the Posts and Telecommunications Division Tarana Halim said: “Citycell subscribers will receive an extension to switch to a new service.”

Citycell appealed the BTRC’s notice in the High Court, where a ruling ordered the company to pay Tk477.51 crore overdue fees in two installments to BTRC within two months.

On October 20, BTRC suspended Citycell’s spectrum allocation for its failure to pay overdue fees. 

On October 24, Citycell then filed a writ petition with the SC seeking its directive to reopen spectrum allocation as the company has paid the due amount of Tk 144 crore to BTRC and NBR.

The Supreme Court also asked the BTRC to immediately reinstate Citycell’s spectrum allocation on condition. However, when the spectrum allocation was not reopened two days after the ruling, the operator re-appealed to the court after paying overdue fees of Tk144 crore.

The apex court set a deadline until November 19, 2016 for the company to pay another Tk100 crore overdue fines, or face suspension of their spectrum allocation from BTRC.

Citycell then again filed court of contempt case against BTRC chairman Shahjahan Mahmud for not following the court order.

However, BRTC has sent a letter to the Posts and Telecommunications Division on June 8 this year, asking for permission to cancel Citycell’s operating license.

The letter follows a Posts and Telecommunication Division meeting on May 8 where the decision to cancel the operator’s license was made. Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Information and Communication Technology Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was the chief guest at the meeting.

BDST: 1445 HRS, JULY 25, 2017
AP/SMS