Bangladesh court asks why mobile data package expiry will not be scrapped

The High Court has demanded to know why the mobile carriers will not scrap expiry of internet data packages and let the customers use the entire data they buy.

In a set of rules on Sunday, the court also asked why the inactivity of the networks in providing clear voice calls, high-speed internet service and stable mobile networks will not be declared illegal.

It ordered formation of a five-strong committee to monitor the activities of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s complaint cell to quickly address issues related to mobile networks, internet and others.

The bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman passed the orders with the rules on a writ petition.

The respondents to the rule on data expiry include the post and telecommunication secretary, BTRC chairman, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman, Robi CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Banglalink CEO Erik Aas, and Teletalk CEO Md Shahab Uddin. They have been given four weeks to come up with their explanations.

Barrister MA Masum, the lawyer for the petitioner, said his client Saifur Rahman Rahi, who is also a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the petition because he doubts whether the complaint cell of BTRC was working properly.

“Customers would not have suffered this much had the cell done its job,” he added.

Rahi is a subscriber to all four mobile phone operators of Bangladesh. He filed a complaint with the BTRC on Jan 5 over dropped calls, poor networks and expiry of data before full use.

He sent a legal notice on Jan 10 after failing to get remedy from the BTRC complaint cell. But his notice went unanswered and he moved the High Court last week.