There have been allegations of disconnection and looting of equipment parts at 7 mobile phone towers in three upazilas of Khagrachhari. Tower-related people are blaming the hilly regional organization United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) for the attack.
Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police Arefin Jewel said that these towers belong to the private telecom service provider Robi Company. A security source said that the attacks were carried out simultaneously in Dighinala, Manikchhari and Matiranga in the early hours of January 22. It is believed that the attacks may have been carried out because armed terrorists of the UPDF did not receive the extortion demand.
5 towers were disconnected in different areas of Dighinala, and two more towers were disconnected in Matiranga and Manikchhari and their equipment parts were looted.
A local representative of Robi Company said that such extortion continues every year, but it is not clear why the towers were disconnected this year. The Khagrachari Superintendent of Police said that no one has filed a legal complaint in this regard yet.
In addition, there have been reports of two Robi towers being disconnected in Naniarchar Upazila of Rangamati, as a result of which millions of mobile phone users in the two districts have been disconnected.
