Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on Tuesday blocked operation of four international gateway companies for non-payment of their outstanding dues worth around Tk 100 crore. BTRC officials said the companies are Mos5 Tel Limited, First Communications Limited, SM Communication and Cell Telecom. The BTRC on December 1 had asked all the IGWs to clear their dues by December 25.
‘As these four companies failed to clear their dues today, we blocked their operation until they clear the bills,’ a BTRC official told New Age on Tuesday.
The BTRC had earlier blocked operation of 10 IGWs for non-payment of their outstanding dues of Tk 275 crore within September 25 deadline.
At that time, BTRC blocked operation of Ranks Tel, Moss Fivetel Limited, SM Communications, Venus Telecom, Sigma Engineers Ltd, Fast Communications, Vision Telecom, Ratul Telecom and Apple Network Ltd.
BTRC officials said some of those blocked IGW operators paid some partial payments during the time but again failed to pay their dues recently.
The BTRC in November sought permission from the telecommunication ministry to cancel licenses of Telex Ltd and Ratul Telecom on the same ground.
BTRC officials said the telecom regulator already blocked the operation of the two companies as Telex failed to pay its dues worth Tk 85 crore and Ratul worth Tk 90 crore, missing several deadlines to clear the payment.
They said most of the IGWs escaped harsh punishment and were permitted to run the business because of their connection with ruling party politicians.
The present Awami League-led government awarded 25 more IGW licences – mostly to people linked with the ruling party.
The BTRC had proposed at best 10 more licences, but the government last year awarded 25 IGW, 23 ICX and 34 IIG licences raising the number of gateway licences to 91.
-With New Age input
