The High Court (HC) issued Tuesday a contempt of court rule upon the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) for disconnecting signalling link of Zamir Telecom ignoring its earlier order.
In response to a petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal issued the rule.
In its rule, the HC wanted to know as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against the respondents concerned.
Managing Director of the state-owned telecom operator Mahfuz Uddin Ahmad, a general manager of BTCL and its director (overseas) Mohammad Zeadul Anam have been asked to reply the rule.
On March 17, 2010, the BTCL snapped the connection of Zamir Telecom, owned by Naufal Zamir, son of former speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, for non-payment of dues.
Challenging the decision of BTCL, the company went to the HC that on April 22, 2010 directed the authorities concerned to restore the connection. At the same time, the HC issued a rule.
Six months after the HC directive, the authorities restored the connection; then Zamir Telecom filed an application with the BTCL Arbitration Tribunal seeking compensation for delay in giving the connection.
On March 3, 2012, the Arbitration Tribunal in an ad-interim order directed the authorities not to snap the connection until the disposal of the matter.
On March 11, 2012, the HC, after hearing its earlier rule, delivered a judgment, where the court directed continuation of the connection until disposal of the legal matter at the tribunal.
While the case was pending before the tribunal, Zamir Telecom's connection was again snapped on March 20 this year reportedly for non-payment of arrear bill.
Then the company filed the contempt of court petition with the HC against the BTCL on the allegation of ignoring the orders of the HC and the Tribunal.
Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC stood for the petitioner.
