The Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association (BMPCA) has expressed concern over a recent rise in theft of batteries, power cables and other vital equipment from mobile phone towers across the country, warning that continued thefts could lead to major network disruptions.
In a statement sent to the media on Tuesday, the BMPCA said thefts of batteries, electricity connection cables and other important equipment from mobile phone towers have increased alarmingly in different parts of the country in recent times.
Such thefts are disrupting power and backup systems, causing mobile networks to go offline in various areas, it said.
As a result, subscribers are facing various forms of sufferings, including dropped calls, failure to connect calls, internet service disruptions and slow data speeds, the association said.
The BMPCA said mobile towers are no longer merely infrastructure owned by private companies but an essential part of the country's communication infrastructure.
Banking, mobile financial services, e-commerce, government and private digital services, emergency communications and people's daily activities largely depend on mobile networks, it said, adding that theft of tower batteries and cables therefore cannot be treated as ordinary incidents of theft.
Backup batteries play a crucial role in keeping mobile towers operational during power outages.
If the batteries are stolen, towers can quickly become non-functional during power cuts, while theft of power and fibre-optic cables can directly disrupt network services, the association said.
It warned that if equipment is stolen from several towers in an area, the impact could spread to surrounding areas as well.
The association expressed concern that failure to control the ongoing sporadic thefts could eventually result in major network disruptions, particularly during periods of irregular power supply, fuel shortages and natural disasters, when backup systems at mobile towers become especially important.
The BMPCA called on the government to strengthen security at mobile towers and related infrastructure and urged police, local administration, mobile operators and tower infrastructure companies to take coordinated measures to prevent such thefts.
It also demanded that vulnerable mobile towers be identified and brought under special security arrangements, while law enforcement agencies should maintain enhanced surveillance to prevent theft of batteries, cables and other critical equipment.
The association called for identifying and bringing to justice the syndicates involved in the trading of stolen batteries and cables, alongside increasing the use of CCTV cameras, alarms and other modern security technologies at tower sites.
It also urged operators and infrastructure companies to establish emergency response mechanisms to ensure the quick detection and replacement of critical equipment stolen from any tower.
Calling for a long-term government policy to ensure the security of mobile networks as essential communication infrastructure, the BMPCA said subscribers bear the direct consequences when networks are repeatedly disrupted due to inadequate infrastructure security despite paying regular service charges.
The issue, therefore, should be viewed not merely as a business loss for operators but as a matter of public interest and national communication infrastructure security, it said.
The association urged authorities to immediately strengthen security at mobile towers and take effective action against the networks involved in battery and cable theft, warning that isolated incidents could eventually develop into a major network crisis.