Number of international calls through legal channels decreases

The country's international call business has been declining drastically for the last 10 years.

The illegal VoIP business and technological advancements are making it difficult to operate in this sector, according to those concerned.

They claimed that the situation has become more complicated due to the double standards of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Sources said 23 private organisations and the government-run Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) are involved in the International Gateway (IGW) sector. But despite the involvement of so many organisations, the volume of foreign calls has shrunk significantly in the last decade.

According to the IGW Operators Forum (IOF), the average daily international call volume was once 80 to 100 million minutes, but it has now come down to 10 million. Most of these calls come through BTCL. But those concerned say that the obligation to deposit 40 percent of the dividend to the government treasury raises questions about the state's responsibility towards private institutions.

Asif Rabbani, managing director of Unique Infoway Limited, said, "The volume of international calls is decreasing every year, but it has decreased more rapidly in the last 6 months. If BTRC takes effective action against illegal business, it will benefit the entire sector."

Meanwhile, stakeholders have demanded tariff update to help develop the IGW sector and increase government revenue.

IGW Forum CEO Mushfiq Manjur says, “The impact of illegal VoIP business and lack of BTRC oversight are negatively impacting the sector, which is creating more problems in running the business.”