A total of 29 international internet gateway (IIG) service providers in Bangladesh still owe the country's telecom regulator about Tk 205 crore collectively even though the monthlong window to clear their dues has long passed.

These dues include regular payments, such as undisclosed bandwidth charges and contributions to the Social Obligation Fund, according to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Official documents, dated December 16 and 17, show that the BTRC had instructed 30 local IIG service providers to clear payments amounting to Tk 220 crore by January 18.

However, just 15 of them have since issued payments amounting to roughly Tk 15 crore.

Level-3 Carrier Limited contributed the most with Tk 10.81 crore while only Coronet Corporation Limited managed to completely clear its dues of Tk 3 lakh.

The top five defaulters account for more than 77 percent of the outstanding sum.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) owes the most with Tk 51.58 crore followed by Aamra Technologies with Tk 25.48 crore, Earth Telecom with Tk 32.02 crore, Level-3 Carrier with Tk 11.21 crore, Peerex Networks with Tk 15.99 crore, Windstream Communication with Tk 11.48 crore, and Delta Infocom with Tk 10.59 crore.

The BTCL, a state-run telecommunications service and infrastructure company, has not paid any of its dues and is yet to provide a response for failing to do so.

The other companies that have not sent a reply include Novocom, Bangladesh Submarine Cables, REGO Communications, 1 Asia Alliance Communication, and Planet Internet Gateway.

Seven companies, namely Aamra, BdHub, Mango, Virgo, Global Fair, Intraglobe and Maxnet Online, have applied to pay their dues in instalments.

Aamra Technologies, with an outstanding balance of Tk 15.48 crore, has requested the withdrawal of a cap on their bandwidth sales in exchange for a down payment of Tk 1 crore, with the remaining dues to be paid in 36 monthly instalments.

But although the BTRC previously issued multiple instructions to Aamra Technologies to pay its dues in instalments, the company has so far failed to comply.

As Aamra Technologies' IIG license will expire on April 2027, giving the company just 28 months to renew its approval, the request to pay all dues through 36 instalments is unreasonable, the BTRC said.

The company's operational activities are fully suspended at present.

BdHub Limited has applied to pay Tk 0.49 crore through six monthly instalments for undisclosed bandwidth dues and asked to waive the delay fee of Tk 0.66 crore.

Mango Teleservices Limited has requested permission to pay the dues owed as of September 2024 within the next 15 days.

Virgo Communication Limited has requested to pay Tk 0.10 crore of its regular fees by the end of February, with the remaining amount to be settled through 15 monthly instalments.

The company also requested to settle its undisclosed bandwidth dues in two phases, with 50 percent to be paid by February and the rest by April.

Global Fair Communication Limited has requested to settle its full outstanding dues through 30 monthly instalments.

Intraglobe Communication Limited has requested to pay its dues in one month while Maxnet Online has sought three instalments and Velocity Network asked to make payments in stages.

Currently, the outstanding amount for undisclosed bandwidth charges is Tk 90.52 crore.

Six companies -- Delta, Maxhub, Startrek, Exabyte, Cybergate, and ADN Telecom -- have requested corrections to accounts for undisclosed bandwidth charges as it is not listed in the guidelines and also considering how the accounts are allegedly erroneous.

Peerex Networks Limited, after filing a writ petition, has obtained a three-month stay order from the court on the BTRC's letter.

Fiber@Home Global Limited, with outstanding VAT charges of Tk 5.90 crore, mentioned that a writ regarding its VAT payments is in court, and indicated that further action will be taken accordingly, as per BTRC documents.

The company has agreed to pay for revenue sharing, excluding VAT, until the court's decision is made.

The telecom regulator recently decided to hold meetings with the IIG operators to clarify the issue of undisclosed bandwidth charges.

It also decided to send letters to the IIG companies that have not paid regular dues, granting them a ten-day deadline to do so.

Aminul Hakim, president of the International Internet Gateway Association of Bangladesh, said some of the bandwidth acquired by IIGs remains unsold while a portion is allocated to maintaining traffic flow.

"But the BTRC's calculations for undisclosed bandwidth have not accounted for these factors," he added.

Hakim also said that the telecom regulator determines its dues for revenue sharing based on a fixed selling price that far exceeds the market rate.

"So, we have urged them to reconsider this," he added.