Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Citycell, the country’s oldest mobile phone operator to pay its Tk 477.51 crore dues to the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Council (BTRC) in installments within three months.

A five-member bench, led by the Chief Justice SK Sinha, passed the order after hearing petition filed by Citycell.

The court also ordered that Citycell can continue its operation on some conditions condition.

The mobile operator has to pay two-third of its outstanding payment within one month and the rest within the following two months.

Citycell also has to pay fees including license fee on regular basis from 17 September to the BTRC.

If they fail to fulfill the condition, the BTRC will be able to take legal steps against them.

Attorney General Mahabubey Alam, Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh and Barrister Reza-E-Rakib stood for the state and Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud stood for Citycell.

Earlier on 22 August, the High Court stayed until 16 September the government’s process to stop Citycell’s operation, the country’s oldest mobile phone operator, for its failure to pay the BTRC a outstanding payment of Tk 477.51 crore.

Later on 23 August, Citycell filed a petition to review the HC order.

On 17 August, the BTRC chairman sent a notice to Citycell asking it to explain why its license would not be scrapped for not paying the dues. The mobile phone operator was given a month to respond to the notice.

The BTRC had earlier issued a notification asking the Citycell subscribers to switch to alternative operator by 16 August.

Meanwhile, BTRC chairman Shahjahan Mahmood on Monday said Citycell will be shut down at zero hours of 24 August.

Under such circumstances, the High Court asked the government to allow the mobile phone company to continue its activities until the deadline of responding to the BTRC notice.