The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has demanded more than Tk 14,000 crore from leading mobile operators-Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink-citing unpaid dues, license fees, and revenue shares accumulated over past audits. The move highlights longstanding disputes in the telecom sector and raises questions over delayed payments by state-run companies.
The BTRC has issued substantial audit claims against the top three mobile operators-Tk12,579 crore for Grameenphone, Tk867 crore for Robi, and around Tk823 crore for Banglalink-citing unpaid dues, fees, and revenue shares from previous audits. While state-run operators like Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd and Bangladesh Telecommuni-cations Company Ltd (BTCL) have failed to clear their dues over several years, private operators have consistently disputed the audit outcomes, calling them flawed and burdened with disproportionate interest charges.
Out of Grameenphone's Tk12,579 crore claim, roughly Tk4,085 crore is owed to the National Board of Revenue, which the BTRC acknowledges is beyond its direct jurisdiction. Another Tk6,194 crore is interest. To resolve the long-standing dispute, Grameenphone formally proposed arbitration to the BTRC chairman on July 29, calling it a "structured, expert-driven" method. Robi soon followed with a similar request. Legal experts argue that arbitration can serve as a credible mechanism even if sectoral laws do not explicitly allow it, as Bangladesh's Arbitration Act permits mutual consent-based settlements for both domestic and international parties.
The dispute is not new. Grameenphone and other telecom operators had previously challenged the BTRC's 100 per cent revenue claim on 2G spectrum and license fees through separate cases in 2011 and 2012. In January 2023, the Supreme Court's Appellate Division ordered the three major operators to pay Tk2,500 crore, partially settling the claims but leaving the larger disputes unresolved.
State-run companies, however, have lagged significantly. Teletalk owes around Tk5,800 crore, including Tk5,506 crore in spectrum fees, Tk102 crore in revenue sharing, and Tk120 crore in license fees. BTCL owes over Tk1,165 crore, with the largest portion being revenue sharing from international gateway operations. BTRC officials warn that including VAT, fines, and late fees could push the total unpaid dues to more than Tk10,000 crore.
The rising interest on unpaid amounts has added pressure on operators and the regulator alike. A senior BTRC official told The Daily Observer: "The interest on unpaid dues keeps rising, which is detrimental for all parties. We are exploring possible pathways for structured resolution, including arbitration, even if existing law does not directly allow it."
The outcome of these proceedings could set a precedent for resolving large-scale commercial disputes in the telecom sector. With operators seeking arbitration and the BTRC determined to recover public revenue, the next steps will be closely watched by both investors and regulators.
