Cyber Conspiracy Uncovered in Bangladesh ISP Sector; Government Vows Strict Action
Faiz Ahmad Tayyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor for the Ministry of Post, Telecommunication, and Information Technology, has announced that the government has received evidence of a “dangerous cyber conspiracy” within the country’s Internet Service Providing (ISP) sector.
In a Facebook post today (Friday), he wrote that certain unscrupulous ISP companies are attempting to destroy the networks and businesses of their competitors by organizing DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks from abroad. The government and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) are preparing to take severe punitive measures against the owners of these companies involved in criminal activities.
⚖️ Punitive Measures and Legal Action
Citing reliable sources, Faiz Ahmad stated that the names of the accused companies have been obtained by the authorities, and they face cancellation of their current licenses and may have their participation in new licensing processes restricted.
• Under Bangladesh’s Cyber Security Act, unlawful network access, hacking, or intentional disruption of service is considered a serious criminal offense.
• The BTRC has explicitly warned that no license will be renewed if outstanding financial dues remain unpaid.
💰 Financial Fraud and Outstanding Dues
Beyond cyber attacks, Faiz Ahmad highlighted that another major issue in the ISP sector is massive financial arrears and fraud:
• Many ISP companies bought bandwidth from government or private entities but shifted to other ITC or IIG providers without paying the money.
• Some companies, allegedly close to the previously ousted government, committed serious financial fraud by presenting fake checks to government institutions in the name of claiming millions of taka, resulting in check bounce incidents.
• He cited ‘Amar Network’ as an example of this serious financial crime, against which legal action and preparations for filing lawsuits are already underway.
🛡️ BTRC’s Mandate: Call for Immediate Security Investment
Considering the overall situation, the BTRC has issued strict directives to all ISP companies to streamline and secure the country’s internet service sector:
1. Security Setup: Companies must rapidly implement Anti-DDoS setups and Load Balancers.
2. Investment: Ensure adequate investment in network security.
3. Fair Competition: Cease targeted unfair practices aimed at limiting competition.
4. Legal Support: The BTRC urged affected ISPs not to rely solely on the government but to unite and file lawsuits against the DDoS attackers. The government can provide institutional support in combating the crime if victims come forward with legal complaints.
