Internet service providers and cable TV operators are stringing up illegal overhead cables using electric poles on the streets and elsewhere of the capital Dhaka. The illegal activities is risking lives of the city dwellers.
The messy tangle of these cables, along with the wires of telephone and electricity lines also make the city odd looking. Besides, accidents like electric short circuit and fire incidents take place often at different places of the capital for this messy situation.
During a field trip on Tuesday, tangled mess of cables were seen on the roadside at Khilgaon, Rampura, Malibagh, Tejgaon, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Mirpur and also at different other places in the capital. In many places, these illegal cables were seen entangled with telephone and electricity lines, as well as with the poles electric transformers. The transformers, wrapped with all these cables, can burst anytime and cause serious accidents. Roadside vendors said some young men conduct regular maintenance of these cables. As they work on live wires, the risk of accident is always there.
Considering the situation a danger, the government authorities took several moves to remove all these illegal cables but they could not be successful due to intervention by the cable operators and internet service providers. A committee also formed to remove the wires from the streets. But, it did not resulted anything. A member of the committee said unless Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) becomes stricter in terms of giving licenses to internet businessmen, this problem will not be solved. However, the officials of the BTRC claimed that the removal of cables as an ongoing process.
