The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) ceased the transmission of Citycell, a private mobile operator, on Thursday due to unpaid government debts. State Minister for Telecommunications Tarana Halim confirmed the shutdown during a press briefing held at the BTRC office.
BTRC officials, accompanied by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police personnel, took action to stop Citycell’s operations at its headquarters in Mohakhali, Dhaka. The shutdown followed Citycell’s failure to pay outstanding government dues amounting to Tk. 4.95 crore.
Earlier in July, BTRC had declared the telecom’s operations would be halted if debts remained unpaid, followed by a formal notice issued to Citycell the subsequent month. Citycell sought legal relief, obtaining a two-month extension from the court’s appellate division, but ultimately could not meet the payment obligations.
The enforcement action marks a decisive move by regulators to ensure compliance and safeguard government revenue in Bangladesh’s telecom sector.
