Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has failed to collect the outstanding payment of Tk 1,614.65 crore from state-run mobile operator Teletalk Bangladesh Limited despite issuing several notices.
Sources at the BTRC said the regulator has recently sent a letter to State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana Halim, seeking her directive to recover the dues. Dhaka, UNB News Agency Reported.
On April 19, 2016, a letter signed by BTRC Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood was sent to the State Minister, informing her that Teletalk owes BTRC an outstanding payment of Tk 1,614.65 crore till December, 2015.
The dues include Tk 7.88 crore for revenue sharing, Tk 1,585.13 crore for installment of 3G spectrum, and Tk 21.64 crore for Social Obligation Fund (SOF).
The letter mentions that the BTRC has issued several notices to the Teletalk for repaying the dues.
The BTRC sought a directive from the junior posts and telecommunication minister whether they would take necessary legal action against the company as per as the recommendation of a government audit team.
Earlier on April 23, 2015, the regulator sent a letter to Teletalk Bangladesh Limited chairman and Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary M Faizur Rahman Chowdhury seeking his interfere in this regard.
Talking to UNB, Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary M Faizur Rahman Chowdhury said as Teletalk is the only state-run GSM and 3G-based mobile phone operator, the BTRC is trying to make some remission in the due revenue and they have already sent a letter to the Finance Ministry in this connection.
The letter says as Teletalk is a state-owned company, the BTRC is trying to recover the due with flexibility while the regulator can take necessary legal steps, including filing cases, seizing immovable and movable recourses, against other mobile company operators.
It is not acceptable ethically or legally that Teletalk being a state-run company is not taking any initiative to pay the due, the letter reads.
