Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has filed a certificate case against an International Gateway (IGW) operator, Telex Ltd, to get Tk92.5 crore outstanding against revenue sharing plus annual licence fees.
The telecom regulator filed the case on Tuesday with the Dhaka Certificate Court, a commissioner of the BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We have filed the case under Public Demands Recovery Act (PDRA). And it is the first case against any operator in Bangladesh from the BTRC side in its 11-year history,” he said on condition of anonymity.
The guideline says the IGWs can earn 3 US cents per minute against incoming international calls. The operators are required to pay 51.75% of revenue to the telecom regulator. Earlier, BTRC had sent a recommendation to the government to cancel the licence of Telex Ltd along with Ratul Telecom Ltd, which owes Tk96.5 crore to BTRC.
Ratul Telecom Ltd is owned by Syeda Amrin Rakhi, daughter of former state minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak, having 50% stakes. Her mother Syeda Arzuman Banu has 20% shares.
In response, the government asked the regulator to file case against Telex Ltd to collect the public money. One the other hand, they gave a chance to the Ratul Telecom to pay the outstanding.
Former telecom minister advocate Shahara Khatun permitted the operator to pay dues in instalments although the minister had no such authority.
The deadline for the first and second instalments already expired, but BTRC not taken any initiative to cancel their licence or file any case.