Rule issued on adding unused mobile data, minutes to next package

The High Court issued a rule asking why unused mobile data, minutes, and SMS should not be included in the next purchased data, minutes, and SMS package. The rule was issued on Sunday (February 16) by the High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Syed Mahmudur Rahman after hearing a writ petition on the matter.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Secretary, the Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and other relevant authorities have been asked to respond to the rule within the next four weeks.

Lawyer Mohammad Mizanur Rahman Kayes represented the writ petitioner in court. He said, “Around 13 million people in Bangladesh use mobile internet. The law states that unused mobile data must be added to the next purchased data. However, even if mobile data, minutes, and SMS remain unused, they cannot be carried over to the next package.”

He added, “None of the mobile companies are following BTRC's laws. They are doing whatever they want. In response to the unreasonable decisions of mobile companies, I sent a legal notice on January 13 to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Chairman of BTRC, and mobile operators like Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk. As they took no action, I filed a writ petition in the High Court last month. Today, the High Court has issued a rule.”