1,510 out of 6,986 mobile towers have become inoperative in the 11 flood-affected districts of the country, leading to disruptions in mobile phone and internet connectivity.
The mobile towers in Feni and Khagrachari have been the hardest hit, with 42.4% and 41.5% of towers, respectively, rendered nonfunctional.
To maintain mobile network service and expedite tower repairs across the flood-affected districts, the government’s Posts and Telecommunications Division has cancelled the leave of all its departments and staff.
Additionally, to ensure continuous communication with the affected areas, five VSATs (Very Small Aperture Terminals) have been sent to the deputy commissioner of Feni with the assistance of the Bangladesh Satellite Company.
The Posts and Telecommunications Division issued a statement on Thursday, announcing that control rooms have been established in all relevant departments and agencies to ensure uninterrupted telecommunications in the flood-hit regions. These control rooms are continuously monitoring the situation.
Furthermore, emergency response teams have been formed within the Department of Telecommunications, including the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission), BTCL (Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited), and Teletalk.
The BTRC has issued various directives to all mobile operators and tower management companies to ensure the continuous operation of mobile towers.
The agency is also collaborating with power transmission and distribution authorities to provide necessary support for uninterrupted electricity supply to mobile towers.
The Posts and Telecommunications Division has instructed mobile operators to implement adequate power backup solutions, including battery backups, diesel generators, and portable generators, to keep their network systems operational.
Additionally, mobile phone service providers offered 500 megabytes of free internet data to people in the flood-affected areas.