Dhaka South City Corporation: Drive against illegal cable lines continues
On the second day of the drive against illegal cable and internet lines set up haphazardly around Dhaka South City Corporation areas, DSCC yesterday conducted drives in Dhanmondi and Fulbaria areas.
Two mobile courts also evicted illegal structures from footpaths and roads.
A mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Irfan Uddin Ahmed pulled down illegal cables in Fulbaria area.
The court also evicted around 50 illegal structures from Fulbaria and Gulistan areas and a political office constructed illegally at adjoining Udayan Market of DSCC in Gulistan.
"We will continue our drive as per instruction of the DSCC mayor," he said.
Another court, led by DSCC Executive Magistrate Moniruzzaman, pulled down illegal cables adjoining Rabindra Sarani and at Dhanmondi Road-7.
Moniruzzaman said they will resume their drive at other parts of Dhanmondi and Hazaribagh today.
About the drive, Anowar Hossain Anu, president of Bangladesh Internet Beboshayee Samity, said they welcome the move by the city corporation as they also want to set up their cable underground.
"We have already sent a letter to the mayor, requesting some time. We want to shift our lines underground and we want to set up it following the mayor's plan," he said.
"If without giving us time, DSCC disconnects the lines, many people will face serious problems as they are working from home during the pandemic," Anowar added.
He said there are five to six companies who have Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) licenses and only they are authorised to distribute the lines through underground and internet operators have to pay rent to them to deliver their services to clients.
But internet operators so far failed to provide them with rents following their needs as they have limited points to deliver their services, he said.
The internet service charge, which is now around Tk 500, will also be increased when they start paying rent for underground lines, he added.
According to the Cable Television Network Operation Act, cable operators will have to take written permission from local offices of utility service providers of the government, semi-government or autonomous bodies to use their structures.
According to law, a person will have to face punishment of up to two years' imprisonment, a fine of between Tk 50,000 to Tk 1 lakh, or both if they breach the law.
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