STAR BUSINESS REPORT

The High Court has directed a Dhaka court to conclude the trial of a case filed by Robi Axiata’s former CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed against the mobile operator within three months.

Ahmed lodged the lawsuit against the telecom operator and its board chairman and former group CEO, seeking Tk 227 crore in retirement benefits and compensation for his “wrongful dismissal” in May 2022.

The HC order came recently after Robi had moved a civil revision petition before it against an order passed by the Joint District Judge’s Court in Dhaka that hasn’t considered the additional issues proposed by the operator.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Bashir Ullah accepted all the proposed issues presented by Robi in addition to the issues framed earlier by the lower court.

The apex court also instructed the Dhaka court to finish the trial in three months considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, said Ashfaqur Rahman, a lawyer for Ahmed.

Mamum Chowdhury, who represented Robi, said, “Upon hearing from both parties, the Hon’ble High Court Division was pleased to dispose of the rule with a direction upon the subordinate court to consider and frame the issues that were suggested by Robi.”

“This addresses Robi’s concerns and ensures that Robi’s contentions and suggested issues are taken into account by the subordinate court during the course of the trial.”

Ahmed was appointed as CEO of Robi as the first Bangladeshi to lead a major private mobile network company in 2016. During his tenure, he led the merger of Robi with Airtel and the listing of the company on the stock market in 2020.