The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has warned the authorities of two shopping centres in Chattogram following complaints of obstruction and monopoly control in the provision of internet service.
The warning was given on Monday at a meeting at BTRC’s head office in Dhaka with representatives of the market authorities and the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB).
At the meeting BTRC directed that shops, offices and other customers in Meridian Kohinoor City and Bali Arcade in Chattogram may take service from any validly licensed ISP of their choice at BTRC-approved tariffs. ISPAB was directed to give the two markets full cooperation in keeping fibre cabling orderly. ISPAB said that at Meridian Kohinoor City internet providers were being charged a one-off Tk 1 lakh and a fee of 35% of monthly income in the name of using the active network infrastructure.
The Bali Arcade authorities, for their part, were taking a connection from one particular ISP, supplying it to customers as their own utility service and collecting the bills directly. BTRC made clear that if any ISP helps create a monopoly or dual-control arrangement for internet service in any building, action will be taken under the law in force and the conditions of its licence.
ISPAB president Aminul Hakim said they would keep working to ensure customers’ freedom to choose their provider and equal opportunity for all companies. The association’s secretary general, Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan, said: “We hope that in the light of BTRC’s directive the authorities of the markets and buildings concerned will ensure customers’ freedom of choice and an equal opportunity for lawful ISPs to do business.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report