Grameenphone has filed cases against eight International Gateway (IGW) operators to collect the outstanding amount of around Tk84 crore.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has already blocked these IGWs for having dues worth Tk613 crore.
The IGWs terminate international incoming voice calls through mobile or land phone operators. They are supposed to share revenues with the phone operators, the telecom regulator and the Inter-connection exchange (ICXs).
“We had no other way to collect the outstanding amount of money. The telecom regulator has also been informed about the step,” a senior official of Grameenphone, the largest mobile phone operator, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, seeking anonymity.
Grameenphone lodged the cases with the Money-Loan Court of Dhaka in two phases. Cases were filed against seven, last week, and another on Monday.
Of them, the outstanding dues of Ratul Telecom Limited – owned by former LGRD state minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak’s wife and daughter – is Tk12.39 crore, and of Mos5Tel Ltd – a company of former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque – is Tk1.30 crore.
Kay Telecommunications Limited, formerly owned by Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman, owes Grameenphone Tk15.48 crore. It was later registered after some of Osman’s employees.
The top mobile company sued SM Communication Ltd for Tk3.50 crore, Vision Tel Ltd for Tk20.18 crore, Bestec Telecom Limited for Tk13.49 crore and Apple GlobalTel Com Ltd for Tk9.08 crore.
On Monday, Grameenphone filed a case against Telex Limited for Tk8.35 crore. These eight companies also owe five other mobile operators, land phone operators and some ICXs.
The BTRC has so far filed cases against four out of the eight companies – Vision Tel, Kay Telecommunications, Telex and Bestec Telecom.
Ratul Telecom has allegedly been given time benefits on several occasions to pay the outstanding amounts.
The BTRC sent show cause notices to the three others and they submitted responses. However, the regulator has yet to make any decision on the explanations.