BTRC official accused of collusion and concession.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Enforcement and Inspection (E&I) Department Director Md. Nurannabi has been accused of colluding with illegal Internet Service Providers (ISPs) at various times and giving concessions at his own discretion during raids. Deputy Director of the same department Md. Ashfaq Ahmed worked as his assistant. The activities of the E&I department have been questioned due to their illegal activities.
It is learned that in the wake of the complaints of Thana ISP licensees JS Technology and Batista Broadband, a BTRC team conducted raids at seven illegal reseller offices in Comilla and Feni from December 9-11. At that time, Director Nurannabi granted concessions to the accused ISP operators. He also ordered to connect the customers of illegal ISP companies with other ISPs.
On December 9, the raiding team found evidence of illegal POP installation, provision of internet services through resellers and conducting business on a 50-50 basis by raiding an illegal reseller of Orange Communications in Comilla. At that time, Director Noorannabi emailed the IIG through Deputy Director Ashfaq and imposed a 50 percent bandwidth cap on Orange Communications. Later, on December 19, he reduced the cap on Orange Communications to 20 percent without any amendment. On the same day, Director Noorannabi maintained the entire bandwidth cap on Digi Jadu Broadband, which had imposed a 50 percent bandwidth cap. At the same time, he ordered all the customers of that reseller to be transferred to another ISP in that area.
According to BTRC sources, initially the reseller’s equipment was seized for conducting illegal business in an area. Later, when the raiding team submitted a report to BTRC, the bandwidth capping was decided in the commission meeting accordingly. On December 10, the BTRC team raided the pop offices of a nationwide, a divisional and a police station ISP in Chauddagram, Comilla. There, Skynet seized 50 percent bandwidth capping and premium connectivity equipment from Chauddagram Broadband ISP. However, despite being guilty of the same offense, no action was taken against Chauddagram Broadband ISP on the instructions of Director Noorannabi. Again, on December 11, the IIG raided the illegal offices of operator Earth Telecommunications and divisional ISP operator Plus Net in Chagalnaiya and found evidence of the same illegal activities as Orange Communications and DG Jadu Ltd., but only seized the equipment without any capping.
When asked about this, Md. Noorannabi blamed the former DG of the E&I department. He said, “We take action when operators complain in the office. There was no unwritten agreement with me. Those whose 30 percent capping was lifted came to us.” They were released on the condition of correction. This decision was also given by the DG.
On the other hand, ISP licensees from two police stations in Comilla, who were victims of the BTRC raid, have complained that no action was taken against the illegals. The two organizations have sent two separate complaint letters to the BTRC chairman in this regard.
Zahirul Kabir, the owner of JS Technology in Comilla, told our time, that although the BTRC conducted a raid in response to my complaint, they did not go to the offices of the accused. When asked, they said that they had orders from higher authorities not to go to those offices.
Another ISP licensee from the area, who did not want to be named, made the same complaint. He said, “We are small businessmen, how can we deal with big ones? There is no benefit in filing a complaint with the BTRC. They sat down with those against whom they came to conduct the raid and had tea and left after making a compromise.”
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