Dhaka, Sep 21 (V7N) – The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) reported disruptions in mobile network and fixed broadband services in Khagrachhari and Rangamati due to ongoing unrest in the region.

Clashes in Dighinala, Khagrachhari on Thursday led to significant damage to the telecommunications infrastructure, with a fire incident around 4 PM damaging optical fiber cables belonging to Summit Communications Limited and Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). This resulted in 16 towers of mobile operator Robi going offline, according to a press release issued on Saturday.

Robi, which operates about 150 towers in Khagrachhari, faced difficulties in conducting repairs immediately due to the tense situation. However, by Friday, 14 of the affected towers were restored, with repairs for two towers still pending. Robi assured that all towers would soon be operational.

Teletalk's services have also been disrupted, with 29 of its 72 towers in Khagrachhari out of service. Of these, 23 towers were impacted by power disconnections by the Power Development Board (PDB), while six others were offline due to technical issues.

Broadband services in both Khagrachhari and Rangamati remain mostly functional, though some areas are experiencing outages due to damaged cables and unstable electricity. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are working to restore services through network repairs and generator support, ensuring a gradual recovery of broadband connections.

BTRC emphasized that no formal directive has been issued to shut down mobile networks or broadband services in the region. The commission expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by the unrest and assured that efforts are underway to fully restore services as soon as possible.

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