The telecom regulator has decided to scrap licences of 33 internet service providers after they failed to pay renewal fees in time.
Of them, 13 are national ISPs and the rest are zonal. Their licences were issued between June 2008 and March 2011.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) issued a notice last week to this effect. It also requested organisations not to do business with the ISPs under question.
The BTRC also directed the ISPs to clear all of their dues to the regulator otherwise they will face legal action, according to the notice.
The telecom watchdog cancelled licences of 204 ISPs last August. In 2015, it scrapped 63 licences after they failed to pay renewal fees.
There are 499 ISPs in Bangladesh, according to the BTRC website.
The regulator has taken an initiative to amend the guidelines for the ISPs. The government has stopped awarding new licences for ISPs.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/business/btrc-scrap-33-isp-licences-1371046