Country's mobile operators owe a total Tk 130.68 billion(13,068 crore) to the government, Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar said in Parliament on Tuesday, reports UNB.
In reply to a query from Jatiya Party MP Syed Abu Hossain Babla, the minister said, of the total amount, Grameenphone owes Tk 105.80 billion and state-owned Teletalk owes Tk 16.31 billion to the government.
The minister said the amount of Grameenphone's audit objection is around Tk 125.79 billion. Of this, Tk 20.00 billion has been paid and the amount of arrears is around Tk 105.79 billion.
The minister said the amount of Robi Axiata's audit objection is around Tk 8.67 billion. Of this, Tk 1.38 billion has been paid and the amount of arrear is around Tk 7.29 billion, he added.
The minister also informed the House that Pacific Bangladesh Telecom (Citycell) owes around Tk 1.28 billion and state-run Teletalk owes Tk 16.31 billion to the government.
The minister also said that cases were pending in the Supreme Court over the arrears of Grameenphone, Robi and Citycell.
In reply to an another query from Awami League lawmaker Nazrul Islam Babu, Mustafa Jabbar said in 2012, there were 86.6 million mobile subscribers in the country and the number has increased to over 183.4 million in 2022.
Mustafa Jabbar also told the House that at present the number of 3G subscribers is 31.9 million while the number of 4G subscribers is 75.4 million.
The minister further said that the number of internet subscribers in 2012 was 28.9 million and now (2022) it has increased to 124.2 million.
Mobile operators owe Tk 130.68b to govt, Jabbar tells JS
FE Team | Published: June 07, 2022 22:27:17
Mobile operators owe Tk 130.68b to govt, Jabbar tells JS
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