Bangladesh Telecommuni-cations Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has asked petitioners as well as some operators to withdraw cases against the central zone-licence bidding if they want nationwide licences, reports BDNEWS. However, the petitioners including the Bashundhara Group want the BTRC to issue nationwide PSTN (public switched telecom network) licences before the withdrawal of cases, sources said. The crisis has remained unresolved with BTRC sources saying that more negotiations were needed to overcome the stalemate. Bangladesh Telecom Operators Association (BTOA) Thursday told the news agency that it could not submit its proposal on the nationwide licensing due to the ongoing crisis. The new licensing system would allow private land-phone operators to bring the central zone-Dhaka Multi-Exchange area-under their coverage, BTOA added. Earlier, the BTOA had found a way to ensure private land-phone facilities in the central zone through the new nationwide licensing system, which the BTRC supported. The awarding of the nationwide licenses would be applicable for those who already had licenses for four zones out of five, BTRC said adding that they could convert their licences into the nationwide ones to cover the central zone consisting of Dhaka city, Jinzira, Savar, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Tongi. Earlier, the move to introduce private land-phones in the Dhaka zone got stuck midway following a High Court injunction on the tender process of awarding four licenses to private operators following filing of four cases.
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