The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) claimed dues based on an audit for the years 1996-2019, and Banglalink partially acceded to this demand with a payment sent to government coffers yesterday.
The BTRC tasked Masih Muhith Haque & Co and ANB Solution Pvt Ltd with conducting an audit of Banglalink from November 1996 to December 2019. This assignment was given in August 2021.
The audit was completed in April of this year, and in the midst of the year, the BTRC gave the order to settle outstanding debt of about Tk 820 crore. Tk 225 crore of that sum was used to pay for 2G renewal fees. In instalments, Banglalink has been paying it; yesterday, it deposited Tk 14.16 crore, clearing Tk 108.4 crore.
He said the BTRC is gathering audit claims in accordance with the telecom minister’s instructions.
According to Taimur Rahman, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer at Banglalink, “as a compliant company, Banglalink consistently adheres to regulatory instructions.”
“Recently, BTRC issued an instruction to Banglalink, requiring the payment of the principal amount as per the BTRC Audit Report,” he stated “Despite our strong reservations regarding the audit findings, we have complied with the instruction and deposited Tk 165 crore,” he stated. “Banglalink has consistently communicated its commitment to mutually resolving the BTRC audit outcome, and this deposit underscores our trust in achieving an amicable resolution,” he stated.