Grameenphone (GP), the country’s largest mobile phone operator, yesterday filed a review petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC), seeking its permission to pay Tk 575 crore in 12 equal monthly installments as adjustable deposits to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Earlier on November 24, the apex court ordered Grameenphone to pay Tk 2,000 crore, around 10 times higher than what the operator was willing to pay to the BTRC. On November 14, Grameenphone agreed to pay BTRC a sum of Tk 200 crore against the regulator’s audit claim of Tk 12,580 crore. This was in line with an out of court settlement between the two parties.

The SC however rejected the settlement and issued a fresh order. The SC ordered GP to pay the amount within the next three months. If the operator fails to follow the order, the BTRC will have rights to take necessary actions against GP, the SC order says. Hossain Sadat, Director and Head of Regulatory Affairs Grameenphone Ltd, in a media statement yesterday said, “On January 26, 2020, Grameenphone filed a Review Petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, requesting it to review its November 24, 2019 order.”

The statement further read, “In our prayer, we are seeking consideration of the court to allow Grameenphone to deposit approximately Tk 575 crore which represents 25 percent of the principal portion of the amount demanded in the BTRC audit, through twelve equal monthly installments.”

When asked about the review petition, telecom minister Mostafa Jabbar said, “We will welcome the court decision. It is up to the court to decide the final amount to be paid by GP.”