Tech
Citycell seeks reinstatement of revoked licence
In a letter, dated September 1, Citycell’s parent company, Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd (PBTL), called for the return of both its operational and radio equipment licences.
PBTL claims it has suffered significant financial losses of around Tk 4,000 crore over the past eight years.
These losses include unpaid bank loans, outstanding employee dues, and damage to its infrastructure caused by the suspension of its radio spectrum.
The company also estimates it has missed out on potential revenue amounting to Tk 2,000 crore and remains unable to settle approximately Tk 430 crore in taxes owed to the government.
The company attributes much of its financial downfall to former State Minister for Telecommunications, Tarana Halim, alleging that the suspension of Citycell’s network was motivated by a political vendetta.
Although the matter is still under legal consideration, the BTRC moved to cancel the licence, a decision PBTL has contested.
Nishat Ali Khan, PBTL’s head of regulatory and corporate affairs, stated that BTRC had overstepped its authority by cancelling the licence while the issue was still sub judice.
He accused the previous government of misusing its power in the matter.
On the other hand, BTRC has maintained that the licence cancellation stemmed from Citycell’s failure to pay an outstanding sum of Tk 218.40 crore.
Citycell, once a pioneering force in Bangladesh’s telecommunications sector, was the sole operator to use CDMA (code-division multiple access) technology. Its services were completely shut down on 8 November 2016, bringing an end to over two decades of operations.
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