Dhaka: State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim on Sunday said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has started a process for unlocking the spectrum of mobile phone operator Citycell that was earlier withdrawn for becoming defaulter.

"Technical procedures are involved with the unlocking of spectrum that might require time. As we are respectable to the verbal order of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC), we've started the process," she told newsmen after a prize giving ceremony organized marking the World Postal Day at GPO this morning. 

"But, we are also waiting for the Certified Copy of the SC order," she added. 

Meanwhile, the SC has asked the BTRC why it was not providing spectrum to Citycell despite its order. A four members bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice S K Sinha, sought explanation from the telecom regulator on Sunday to this end.

BTRC stopped spectrum allocation to Citycell on October 20 as the operator failed to pay dues. On November 3, Citycell got the Apex Court's nod to continue its operation till November 19.

Citycell will have to pay Taka 100 crore to BTRC by November 19 to continue its operations and if it fails, the telecom regulator may cancel its spectrum again.

The SC also gave directives to form a special dispute resolution committee to fix the total amount in a month that the CDMA operator will pay as dues to the BTRC.

The BTRC cancelled Citycell's spectrum on October 20 and shut down its offices as it failed repeatedly to pay various fees. Citycell then moved to the apex court on October 24 seeking its spectrum allocation back.

The BTRC has been saying that the company owes Taka 477.69 crore in spectrum renewal fee, annual licence and spectrum fee, VAT and late fees put together.

But, Citycell disagreed over the amount, saying it should be much less since the regulator's method of determining the amount was flawed.