SC status quo on BTRC notice to Grameenphone

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The Supreme Court (SC) has directed Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to maintain a status quo on the notice for payment of the spectrum assignment fee and Value Added Tax (VAT) by the country's largest telecom operator Grameenphone (GP), reports bdnews24.com. BTRC was also directed to allow the petitioner (GP) to continue its operations without any interruption or hindrance until further order. Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order Thursday after hearing on a leave-to-appeal petition filed by BTRC against a High Court order. Justice Hossain said the matter of licence renewal of GP will be decided by the court. The court fixed November 14 for hearing the appeal filed by BTRC against a High Court order that stayed its notice for payment to GP on November 1, before the regular bench of the Appellate Division. Advocate Mahbubey Alam and Barrister Khandaker Reza-E-Rakib argued for BTRC during the hearing, while Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Barrister Mohammad Mehadi Hasan Chowdhury stood for Grameenphone. Reza-E-Rakib told the news agency that currently the licence would not be renewed following the court order. "It will be renewed after the court verdict. BTRC cannot halt the operations of Grameenphone until further order by the court." The High Court on October 26 stayed the effectiveness of a BTRC notice asking GP to pay an additional Tk 2.37 billion for the radio frequency in 1800 megahertz band. On November 1, chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice M Imman Ali felt embarrassed to hear the petition. Later, the chief justice sent the petition to Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain for further action.