Banglalink, the second largest telecom operator of the country, has not
paid the administrative fines imposed by the Bangladesh
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) within the stipulated
time.
In fact, the operator is yet to take any steps to return the affected subscribers' money collected through illegal means. On February 8, the BTRC gave a month's time to Banglalink to pay back its subscribers the money that was illegally collected from them.
The commission asked the operator to submit weekly compliance reports about the return of money to the subscribers.
The operator was also asked to submit a fine of Tk 10 lakh within a month for violating Telecom Act regulations.
According to the Telecommunications Act -2001 (Amendment Act 2010), if any operator fails to pay administrative fine of Tk 10 lakh, it will have to pay Tk 100 crore as fine within a stipulated time.
Further, if the operator fails to submit the fines within the stipulated deadline, it will have to pay Tk 300 crore as fines and maximum 5 years of jail, according to section 64.
However, officials of both the BTRC and Banglalink have declined to comment on the issue.
Earlier in 2011, Banglalink had offered a promotional service, 'Daily Tariff Plan', without talking prior permissions from the commission, according to a letter issued by the BTRC.
Following this, the commission decided that Banglalink must pay Tk 10 lakh as administrative fines within one month for defying the rules.
However, the operator has not published publish any circular in newspapers about paying back the affected subscribers and has not posted any
statement on its official website in this regard.
On February 8, the BTRC sent a letter, signed by its director of system and services Lt Col Mohammad Zulfiker, to the chief executive director of Banglalink, asking the operator to return the active subscribers’ money through talktime relief within one month. Also, the money of 'churn' subscribers had to be returned within two months.
The term ‘churn’ subscribers refers to the proportion of contractual customers or subscribers who leave a supplier during a given time-period.
In the letter, Banglalink was asked to find another way to return the subscribers' money, other than talktime relief.
However, it did not clearly mention anything about alternative methods of payment.
The commission ordered the operator to publish circulars and advertisements in national dailies and on the official website of the operator to properly repay the affected subscribers.
The commission also asked the operator to submit the compliance report about the payment of the active and inactive subscribers every week.
According to the BTRC’s letter, the operator collected an extra Tk 59,843,000 from active subscribers and Tk 33,649,600 from others, which should be returned.
In fact, the operator is yet to take any steps to return the affected subscribers' money collected through illegal means. On February 8, the BTRC gave a month's time to Banglalink to pay back its subscribers the money that was illegally collected from them.
The commission asked the operator to submit weekly compliance reports about the return of money to the subscribers.
The operator was also asked to submit a fine of Tk 10 lakh within a month for violating Telecom Act regulations.
According to the Telecommunications Act -2001 (Amendment Act 2010), if any operator fails to pay administrative fine of Tk 10 lakh, it will have to pay Tk 100 crore as fine within a stipulated time.
Further, if the operator fails to submit the fines within the stipulated deadline, it will have to pay Tk 300 crore as fines and maximum 5 years of jail, according to section 64.
However, officials of both the BTRC and Banglalink have declined to comment on the issue.
Earlier in 2011, Banglalink had offered a promotional service, 'Daily Tariff Plan', without talking prior permissions from the commission, according to a letter issued by the BTRC.
Following this, the commission decided that Banglalink must pay Tk 10 lakh as administrative fines within one month for defying the rules.
However, the operator has not published publish any circular in newspapers about paying back the affected subscribers and has not posted any
statement on its official website in this regard.
On February 8, the BTRC sent a letter, signed by its director of system and services Lt Col Mohammad Zulfiker, to the chief executive director of Banglalink, asking the operator to return the active subscribers’ money through talktime relief within one month. Also, the money of 'churn' subscribers had to be returned within two months.
The term ‘churn’ subscribers refers to the proportion of contractual customers or subscribers who leave a supplier during a given time-period.
In the letter, Banglalink was asked to find another way to return the subscribers' money, other than talktime relief.
However, it did not clearly mention anything about alternative methods of payment.
The commission ordered the operator to publish circulars and advertisements in national dailies and on the official website of the operator to properly repay the affected subscribers.
The commission also asked the operator to submit the compliance report about the payment of the active and inactive subscribers every week.
According to the BTRC’s letter, the operator collected an extra Tk 59,843,000 from active subscribers and Tk 33,649,600 from others, which should be returned.
