As the service has become commercially non-viable, British Telecom informed the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) about its inability to continue the service, sources said.

The BTTB's deal with the British Telecom expired on December 31 last year but the agreement was renewed for only three months.

Local and international traffics for the telex service were on the decline in the last few years with the advent of mobile phone and internet. The state-run telecoms operator still had clients such as Bangladesh Bank, nationalised commercial banks (NCBs) and private commercial banks (PCBs) and some other government organisations. The clients were informed of the decision.

The state-run operator, however, will continue its telegraph service using alternative ways including fax, phonogram and railway mail service, BTTB officials said.

"The telex service has become obsolete and spare parts are not available to repair the machines. The service has been withdrawn in many countries due to poor use," said a top BTTB official.

BTTB has around 900 offices across the country with only 91 now having telex facility. Other offices continue telegraph service using alternative ways.

However, the official said none of the BTTB offices will be closed, as it would continue telegraph and public call office (PCO) services through these offices. Several hundred employees working for telex service will be absorbed in other departments of the BTTB.

According to BTTB estimates, 1.77 lakh local and 6,500 international messages were sent in the 2004-05 financial year, which were 2.68 lakh and 25,000 respectively in 2003-04 fiscal.