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

Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed of the HC company bench passed the order following an appeal filed by the Citycell authorities seeking its directives on the government to stay its decision, reports UNB.

Following the court order, Citycell can continue its activities till 16 September.

Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud stood for Citycell during the hearing while Barrister Reza-E-Rakib argued for BTRC.

On 17 August, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) sent a notice to Citycell asking it to explain why its licence would not be scrapped for not paying the dues. The mobile phone operator was given a month to respond to the notice.

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

On the other hand, 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.