Citycell gets 2 months to pay back govt dues
BSS
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday granted debt-stricken mobile phone operator Citycell two months more time to payback all of its dues to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), reports BSS.
A five-member Appellate Division panel headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha passed the order, disposing of an appeal filed by BTRC against the High Court order that extended a deadline for shutting down company until September 16.
Under a government directive BTRC had decided to shutdown the operators service at 12 midnight of August 23 for failure to pay outstanding bills of Tk 477.51 crore.
But on August 22, the High Court extended the deadline, revising a government directive ordering its closure.
In line with yesterdays order, the countrys first mobile phone operator has to pay two-thirds of its total dues by September and rest of the money within another 30 days.
BTRC earlier advised Citycell subscribers to secure alternative connections.
Earlier on July 31, BTRC served notice on Citycell to explain why it should not face legal action for not paying the dues and asked its subscribers to switch to other phones by August 16.
Later, the posts and telecommunications division (PTD) gave another seven days allowing the subscribers to manage alternative connections by August 23.
Citycell which has been offering service using Code division multiple accesses (CDMA) has now 1.50 lakh to 2 lakh subscribers after completion of ownership verification through biometric method.
According to BTRC, the Citycell didnt pay the second and third installments of Tk 229 crore for 8.82 megahertz spectrum since spectrum renewal in 2012, which has breached the licensing terms.
Besides, it has owed annual spectrum fees (from the year 2013 to 2016) Tk 27.14 crore, revenue sharing (2014 to 2016) Tk 27.84 crore, social obligatory fund (2011 to 2016) Tk 8.92 crore, VAT Tk 39.92 crore and late fee of Tk 135 crore.
Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited under the brand name Citycell obtained license in 1989 where SingTel Asia Pacific Investment Limited has 45 per cent share while Far East Telecom Limited owns 23.57 per cent share and remaining 31.43 per cent share hold by Pacific Motor Limited.
