Shawdesh desk:

The Appellate Division on Monday ordered private mobile phone operator Grameenphone (GP) to pay another Tk 1,000 crore of the dues claimed by BTRC within the next three months.

The six-member Appellate bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Murad Raza appeared for the state while Barrister Khandaker Reza-e-Raqib represented BTRC and Barrister Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury stood for GP.

On November 24 last year, the Appellate Division asked GP to pay Tk 2,000 crore of the Tk 12,579.95 crore dues claimed by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission within three months.

Later, the Appellate Division on Thursday ordered GP to pay Tk 1,000 crore to BTRC within February 24 after hearing a review petition filed by mobile operator.

GP paid the sum on Sunday in compliance with the court order.

BTRC claimed the dues in 27 sectors from the mobile operator but failed to recover the money. Later, BTRC sent a notice to GP threatening to revoke its licence on April 2 last year.

But GP moved the court seeking a temporary injunction on the notice which was turned down on August 28 that year. The mobile operator later filed an appeal with the High Court.

On October 17, the High Court imposed a two-month injunction on realisation of dues from GP. BTRC later moved the Appellate Division against the order.