The country's telecom watchdog has fined Banglalink Tk125 crore for its involvement in illegal VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or call termination business.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (retd) Manzurul Alam yesterday confirmed Banglalink's involvement in the illegal trade.
Talking to The Daily Star, he said, "Banglalink has already paid Tk 62.50 crore to the national exchequer. Rest of the money will be paid within a short time."
Banglalink, however, in a statement said the company has agreed to make a one time fixed payment of Tk125crore to the government as compensation for its loss in revenues.
The BTRC chairman added, "We hope that no telecommunication operator will facilitate any illegal VoIP ventures... No one will be spared if found involved in any capacity in the illegal call termination business."
BTRC in a press statement yesterday said international call termination to Bangladesh is a licensed service and is currently reserved only for the state-owned telephone operator --BTTB (Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board).
"Law enforcement agencies and BTRC started joint crackdown operations on illegal VoIP operators after the new interim government took office in January 2007. During raids and investigations against illegal call termination businesses, Banglalink's involvement was ascertained," the BTRC press statement said.
A team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) earlier met with Banglalink authorities and informed them of the evidence it had gathered linking the company with illegal VoIP operation. The Banglalink authorities admitted that illegal VoIP operators used their equipment for such operation in the past, BTRC sources said.
Banglalink version
Banglalink in a statement said as a responsible organisation, Banglalink has agreed to make a one time fixed payment of Tk125crore to the government as compensation for its lost revenues due to the use of its services by a number of its customers to illegally terminate international calls.
In this regard, Banglalink has fully cooperated with the law enforcement agencies and the BTRC officials investigating the matter.
Banglalink has been conducting its business by following guidelines set forth by the BTRC and it will continue to do so, upholding its continuing efforts to maintain highest professional and ethical standards, the statement added.