DHAKA: Mobile phone operator Grameenphone (GP) has paid Tk 1,000 crore to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) as per Supreme Court order.

Officials of Grameenphone, in presence of Head of Regulatory Affairs Hossain Sadat, handed over the pay cheque to the chairman of the BTRC at around 3:30 pm on Sunday (February 23).

As the Appellate Division ordered GP to pay the amount within Feb 24, the operator, in a media statement issued on Friday, announced to deposit the amount today (Feb 23).

On November 24, the Appellate Division asked GP to pay Tk 2,000 crore of the Tk 12,579.95 crore dues claimed by BTRC within three months.

The telecom regulator claimed the dues in 27 sectors from the mobile operator but failed to recover the money. Later, BTRC sent a notice to GP threatening to revoke its licence on April 2 last year.

But the operator moved the court seeking a temporary injunction on the notice which was turned down on August 28 that year. The mobile operator later filed an appeal with the High Court.

The High Court on October 17 imposed a two-month injunction on realisation of dues from GP. The telecom regulator later moved the Appellate Division against the order.

BDST: 1649 HRS, FEB 23, 2020

AH/SMS