The fire that broke out at Khawaja Tower in Dhaka's Mohakhali this evening is causing significant disruption in internet and telecommunication services as the building houses operation centres of several international internet gateway (IIG) service providers, data centres and interconnection exchanges (ICXs).

Many IIG operators run their operations from the building from where broadband and telecom service providers get bandwidth, Md Emdadul Hoque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh, told The Daily Star.

Photo: Prabir Das/Star

"So, at least 30 to 40 percent of the internet connections of Bangladesh will be hampered."

Mobile internet and voice connection will also be affected as they get bandwidth from the IIGs.

Many mobile users complained that they are facing difficulties in making calls while broadband users said they are unable to access the internet.

Photo: Prabir Das/Star

The IIG companies operate as international gateways for internet traffic, managing the data flow between the country and the rest of the world and enabling internet service providers and telecom operators to access the global internet.

Photo: Prabir Das/Star

The ICX refers to a switching system, which provides interconnections among the telecommunication network of the operators.

Photo: Prabir Das/Star