Dhaka:The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has intensified its efforts across the telecommunications sector to recover unpaid regulatory dues and enforce compliance with licensing conditions. This move includes penalizing non-compliant operators and restricting services to enhance financial discipline.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the BTRC's latest measures target various segments, including international internet gateways (IIGs), internet service providers (ISPs), mobile number portability (MNP), national telecommunication transmission network (NTTN), and internet protocol telephony service providers (IPTSPs). A significant focus is on recovering unpaid charges for unbilled bandwidth, with an audit identifying claims totaling Tk 9,47,97,344 against 26 operators, of which Tk 51.14 lakh has been recovered.
The commission has outlined specific payment plans for companies like Cybergate Ltd. and Earth Telecommunication Ltd. to clear their outstanding dues in instalments. Additionally, several IIG operators face action through the BTRC's Legal and Licensing Division for remaining unpaid dues.
Penalties have also been imposed on various operators for non-compliance, including Earth Telecommunication Ltd. for unauthorized operations and Infozillion Teletech BD Ltd. for arrears related to MNP services. The BTRC's enforcement actions extend to ISPs, where non-compliant operators have been issued show-cause notices and fines based on their responses and compliance levels.
Further, the commission has taken steps to address unpaid licence and annual fees in the IPTSP sector, leading to the cancellation of licences for several providers and imposing bandwidth caps on defaulting operators. These measures highlight the BTRC's comprehensive enforcement drive to ensure regulatory compliance and financial accountability within the telecommunications industry.