DHAKA: The High Court Monday issued rule upon the BTRC chairman and the telecommunications secretary to explain within four weeks why they should not be punished on contempt-of-court charge for not appointing administrator for the embattled RanksTel as per court’s order.

An HC bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Gobinda Chandra Thakur issued the rule after hearing a contempt-of-court petition filed by RanksTel Chairman A Rauf Chowdhury on July 12.

On May 11, the HC in a verdict had directed the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and government authorities to appoint an administrator to run the private phone facility.   

RanksTel, a private land-phone operator, was closed by order of the telecom regulator in March for running illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business—a thriving business underworld in the modern-day knowledge economy.

On behalf of the plaintiff, Barrister Rafiqul Haque, Advocate Anisul Haque and Barrister Sakhawat Hossain joined the hearing session.

BDST: 1500 HRS, JULY 19 2010