BTRC moves to recover nearly Tk49cr in unpaid telecom dues

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has stepped up efforts to recover nearly Tk48.60 crore in unpaid dues from operators across several segments of the telecommunications sector, combining financial recovery measures with penalties, bandwidth restrictions and licence cancellation proceedings.

The recovery drive, reflected in decisions taken at the recent commission meeting, covers unpaid bandwidth charges from international internet gateway (IIG) operators, regulatory arrears of the mobile number portability (MNP) service provider and outstanding licence and annual fees from internet protocol telephony service providers (IPTSPs).

Of the total, Tk34.62 crore is owed by IPTSP operators, while Tk8.96 crore by IIG operators and Tk5.01 crore by the country's sole MNP service provider, Infozillion Teletech BD Ltd, according to the documents.

In the IIG segment, an audit identified claims of Tk9,47,97,344 against 26 operators for unbilled bandwidth usage. The commission has recovered Tk51.14 lakh, leaving Tk8.96 crore outstanding.

The commission has allowed some operators to clear their liabilities through installments. Cybergate Ltd., which had a claim of Tk38.19 lakh, paid Tk5 lakh and was allowed to pay the remaining Tk33.19 lakh in 12 equal monthly installments, subject to a 15 percent annual late fee.

Earth Telecommunication Ltd. paid Tk25 lakh against its claim of Tk96.26 lakh and was allowed to settle the remaining Tk71.26 lakh in 12 equal installments. Peerex Networks Ltd., with Tk21.13 lakh outstanding, received a one-month extension.

For other defaulting IIG operators, the commission decided to pursue recovery through its Legal and Licensing Division. The companies include Mango Teleservices Ltd., Aamra Technologies Ltd., Maxnet Online, Maxhub Ltd., Intraglobe Communication Ltd., 1 Asia Alliance Communication Ltd., BD Link Communication Ltd., Equitel Communication Ltd., Radiant Communication Ltd., Rego Communication Ltd. and Planet Internet Gateway Ltd.

The commission also directed recovery action concerning Tk2.64 crore in unpaid unbilled bandwidth charges owed to Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). This amount has not been added to the above aggregate pending confirmation that it is separate from the audited IIG claims.

In the IPTSP sector, unpaid licence and annual fees stand at Tk34,62,07,636. The commission has cancelled 18 licences and initiated legal certificate recovery cases against Digital Connectivity Ltd. for Tk8.79 crore and IDEA Networks and Communications Ltd. for Tk21.21 crore. These two cases are treated as part of the sector's reported outstanding dues, not additional liabilities.

The commission has also ordered an immediate 50 percent bandwidth cap on defaulting operational IPTSPs, including ICC Communication, Idea Tech Ltd., Aamra Networks Ltd. and Sarker Communication.

The MNP service provider, Infozillion Teletech BD Ltd., owes Tk5,01,67,818 in accumulated arrears. The amount comprises unadjusted revenue share of Tk2,31,88,309, revenue-share late fees of Tk2,25,34,989, VAT of Tk33,16,899, Service Obligation Fund dues of Tk10,90,186 and related late fees of Tk10,37,435.

The company had previously been allowed to clear its dues in 12 monthly installments following the commission's 300th meeting but failed to make payments from March to June 2026.

The commission imposed a fine of Tk1 lakh, payable within 30 days, and referred recovery of the principal dues to its Legal and Licensing Division.

Alongside the recovery of financial dues, the commission has intensified action against ISPs for failing to submit mandatory information through its automated Data Information System (DIS).

Show-cause notices were issued to 116 non-operational or non-compliant ISP licensees for failing to submit information on bandwidth usage, subscribers and network performance between January and March 2025.

The commission imposed penalties at different rates according to the operators' responses and subsequent compliance.

Penalties ranged from Tk2,500 to Tk 50,000 among registered operators, while fines for operators outside the registered group ranged from Tk6,750 to Tk1.50 lakh.

All defaulting operators were directed to register and upload the required information within 30 days, failing which proceedings for immediate licence cancellation will begin.

The commission also imposed a fine on Earth Telecommunication Ltd. for operating an unauthorised TCLS point of presence at Benapole and sharing infrastructure without BTRC approval.

The company was directed to pay the penalty within 10 working days under Section 65(5) of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001. The amount requires verification because the numerical figure and the amount written in words in the meeting record do not match.

Fiber@Home Ltd., an NTTN operator, was fined Tk5 lakh for entering into platform and service agreements with third parties, including Romance and Sun, under its Cyclone Project without prior BTRC service approval. The fine is payable within 10 working days.

The decisions indicate a broader effort by the regulator to recover outstanding public and regulatory revenues while enforcing financial and licensing obligations across the telecommunications industry.