The group, which does not have a name, said the BTRC awarded licence for fixed line phones going against the recommendations of its overseas and local consultants, who suggested floating tender instead of inviting applications for open licences.

The group comprising several expatriate telecoms experts said the open licensing process is "faulty" in Bangladesh perspective, where lack of interconnection has slowed down telecommunications growth.

"It will jeopardise the country's telecommunications sector as a whole as the licence-owning companies do not have necessary experience in operating telecommunications service," said Tawfiq Hassan, one of the experts, at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) office in the capital.

On February 18, the BTRC sought applications from private operators to launch fixed-line telephones in the country's four zones except capital Dhaka under open licensing process.

He said the BTRC did not get approval of higher authorities like the cabinet and the post and telecommunications ministry in seeking applications for the licensing process of fixed-line phone, technically known as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). It, however, went for a lengthy process to obtain permission from the cabinet and the prime minister for the launch of Internet telephony.

Worse still, it did not publish any gazette for the licensing criteria, he added. The BTRC also did not consider the national interest to announce the licensing criteria, he alleged.

Terming the open licensing process a controversial method, Hassan said it means an unlimited number of operators can run fixed-line phones, which has never been adopted or practised before for awarding fixed-line licence to the private sector.

The group said a task force should conduct the investigation into what it said were 'many irregularities' by the BTRC.

Suklala Devnath Sukla read out a written statement and Musfiqur Rahman and Saifuddin Ahmed also spoke.