1800 mobile towers are out of action in 12 districts due to floods

About 2000 mobile towers in 12 districts of the country including Chittagong, Noakhali, Comilla have become inoperable due to floods.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) confirmed the matter.

Brigadier General Kazi Mostafizur Rahman, Director General of Engineering and Operations Department of BTRC, told the media on Friday (August 23), that 10,443 sites out of 12,250 sites or towers in 12 flood-affected districts are operational till 9 am on Friday morning. And 1 thousand 807 have become inactive.

Mostafizur Rahman said that Feni was the most affected; More than 90 percent towers are non-operational in this district. Out of 656 towers in this area, 590 have become defunct.

Besides, 380 towers in Noakhali, 54 in Laxmipur, 533 in Comilla, 23 in Brahmanbaria, 47 in Chandpur, 75 in Chittagong, 36 in Khagrachari, 2 in Habiganj, 39 in Moulvibazar, 11 in Sunamganj and 17 in Rangamati are not working.

BTRC has learned from the mobile operators that the tower area of ​​the operators has been submerged in the flood affected areas. There is no electricity connection in these towers. Besides, other necessary mechanical support is not available in the torrential currents. Because of this the network cannot be restarted. It is not possible to reconnect the network in the affected area until the current subsides.

Kazi Mostafizur Rahman said that coordination is being done with the relevant authorities for uninterrupted electricity to keep the tower operational. At the same time, the company has instructed the mobile operators to keep the tower running through battery backup, diesel generator or portable generator.

The organization says that in this situation, an emergency response team of 15 people has been formed. Who will perform duties in the control room during disaster and post disaster.

To contact emergency response team of BTRC call +8802222217152. Apart from this, the team can also be contacted using BTRC's call center 100.

Bangladesh /SBT