Bangladesh Telecommuni-cation Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is preparing a guideline pertaining to the public health risk caused by radiation emitted by mobile phone towers and the guideline will be implemented soon, said BTRC Chairman Jahurul Haque.
After getting directives from the HC, legal and licencing and the engineering and operations divisions of the commission is preparing the guideline, he said.
“We will implement the guideline soon,” Haque said.
The High Court on April 25, 2019 directed the telecom regulator to run a massive study within the next four months to measure the impact of radiation from telecom towers on citizens’ health and environment.
In a final verdict on a seven-year-old writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir, came up with the directive.
The bench directed the authorities concerned not to install any mobile phone tower on rooftops of residences, schools, colleges, playing
fields, populated areas and heritage areas. Those installed earlier in such areas should be removed.
The HC bench also directed the authorities concerned to take steps to reduce the radiation of mobile phone towers by 1 per cent out of 10 per cent.
It also directed the authorities concerned to take steps so that mobile operators do not cross the specific radiation limit.
The bench directed the BTRC to form a monitoring cell on public health risk caused by radiation from mobile phone towers.
It also asked the authorities concerned to replace all mobile phone towers with high radiation.
When asked regarding the HC directive to form monitoring cell, BTRC chairman said, “We’ve already started working in this regard.”
The HC bench also directed the BTRC to make the verification mandatory for installing mobile phone towers.
In 2012, the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh had filed a petition before the HC in 2012 over the radiation level of towers.