Appellate Division to hear Citycell’s petition against BTRC’s order on Oct 31

Appellate Division has fixed Oct 31 to hear mobile operator Citycell’s petition against the telecoms regulator's order to suspend its spectrum.

The Supreme Court's chamber judge Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) announced in July that it would shutdown Citycell as it failed to pay Tk 4.77 billion it owed to the government.

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It served a notice on the operator the next month.

The only CDMA operator in the country got two more months on Aug 29 from the Supreme Court to remain in business, saying it will be able to continue beyond that time if it paid up the dues.

On Oct 20, BTRC suspended Citycell’s spectrum, which led to closure of its services.

“They (Citycell) were supposed to pay Tk 3.18 billion in the first instalment but they have cleared only Tk 1.3 billion today,” State Minister for Telecoms Tarana Halim said then.

Citycell's counsel Shafique told bdnews24.com on Tuesday that the operators have already cleared Tk 1.44 billion out of the Tk 2.3 billion in dues.

“We have appealed against the spectrum cancellation order as two-thirds of the dues have been paid,” he said.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Additional Attorney General Murad Reza represented the State at the hearing while Lawyer Khandker Reza-e Rakib argued for BTRC.

Rakib told bdnews24.com: “Citycell’s spectrum remains suspended until Oct 31.”

Citycell’s parent company Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd got licence for telecoms services in 1989.

Singapore-based SingTel Asia Pacific Investments Pte Ltd holds a majority share of 45 percent.

BNP leader and former foreign minister M Morshed Khan’s Pacific Motors has 37.95 percent stakes in Citycell.

Far East Telecom Ltd owns a 17.51 percent stake.