The BTTB has failed to meet this demand due to lack of infrastructure. Still, private land telephone operators have not been permitted to start their operation in the capital. The private operators are waiting for the permission from Bangladesh Telecommunica-tions Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to commence their operation in the central zone at first.

The zone comprises Dhaka city, Zinjira, Savar, Narayan-ganj and Gazipur district headquarters and Tongi. Officials of private land-line companies said that 70 percent of the telephone subscribers in the country were from Dhaka.

Therefore private operators feel that the authorities are treating them unfairly by not allowing them to venture in this booming market especially when there are no less than five cell phone operators doing business.

Subscribers at present have to pay Tk 10,000 for demand notes for BTTB phone lines. In addition, they reportedly have to pay a section of the BTTB staff in the region of Tk. 2,500 in bribe to receive the advice note for new connection. Even after that, subscribers often have to wait for months or even years before they get the connection.

According to the Internatio-nal Telecommunications Union, the telecom density in Bangladesh is the lowest in South Asia. Out of every 100 people in the country, only 1.56 has access to telecommunication facility.

The private operators, once allowed to function in Dhaka, are expected to invest around Tk. 30 billion on infrastructure and development for land telephones in the capital and its adjoining areas, said BTRC sources.

"Once given permission, we can develop the necessary infrastructure very quickly and we are capable of serving one lakh subscribers in Dhaka within a very short period," said M A Malik, assistant manager, administration and public relations of Jalalabad Telecom (Bijoy Phone) which is already operating in 16 north-eastern districts.

An official of Ranks Tel, another private operator serving outside Dhaka, said they were prepared to provide at least 10 lakh connections if permitted to operate in Dhaka.

The private land-line operators received a boost when the Supreme Court on August 23 upheld the verdict of the High Court division that cancelled the exclusive rights of Worldtel to operate in Dhaka for four years. But the companies are still apprehensive about their future in the capital.

The BTRC won the legal battle and can now allow private operation in multi-exchange zones, Dhaka and its adjoining areas.

According to sources, the companies that have already received licences to operate in Dhaka are Bashundhara Communications and Network Ltd, Ranks Tel, Tele Barta (Jubok Phone), Dhaka Phone and Square Group.

Meanwhile, a high official of BTRC said that there was no decision yet as to when the private operators will be allowed to operate in Dhaka.

When contacted, the vice-chairman of BTRC Reza E Rabbi said he did not have the permission from the chairman to talk to the press while the chairman Omar Farouque refused to talk on the issue.