HC asks BTRC to resolve mobile network problem

The High Court on Sunday asked the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to resolve problems in mobile phone networks and slow internet speed.

Hearing a public interest writ petition, the bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order and said it would stand over the case for two months.

The petitioners’ lawyer Advocate Ishrat Hasan raised the issue of network problems during the hearing and Deputy Attorney General Nowroz Md Russell Chowdhury presented a written statement of the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

The commission in the statement said they were trying to resolve the mobile network problem.

Petitioners’ lawyer Ishrat Hasan told The Business Post that the court asked them to inform it after two months about resolution of the network problems.

Ishrat said the court said that since the BTRC was working on resolving the problems, it would stand over the case for next two months.

Earlier on June 8, a writ petition was filed with the High Court challenging the authorities’ inaction to ensure a quality network by resolving the problem of weak mobile phone network and slow internet speed. The writ sought guidance to provide customers with internationally recognised internet speed services.

Ishrat Hasan moved the court on behalf of Mohiuddin Ahmed, president of the Mobile Phone Subscribers’ Association, Mehedi Hasan Dalim, a member of the Law Reporters Forum, and Supreme Court Lawyer Md Rashidul Hasan.

The secretary of Information, Communication and Technology Division, the chairman of BTRC and the chief executives of the mobile operators were made defendants in the petition.

According to the petition, mobile phone subscribers were suffering a lot for weak cellular networks and the slow internet speed. It said the quality of service was disappointing compared to the amount of money the operators charge from the customer.

Although the number of mobile phone and internet users has increased sharp, the mobile phone companies have not provided services accordingly, which is causing consumers to suffer, the petition added.

On November 27, 2020, a legal notice was served on the regulator and mobile operators seeking appropriate action to ensure a quality network by resolving the problem of weak mobile phone network and slow speed of internet.