Submarine cable sabotage(Catch the culprits and put an end to it)

By all indications, the fibre optic cable network has become the target of saboteurs, whose ultimate motive is still unknown though. The latest act of subversion which saw the cable link being disrupted for the second time in less than two days is the seventh of its kind according to the BTTB sources.

The dislocation caused to the country's Internet and overseas telecom services has been enormous and trade and commerce suffered badly in the process. So it is more than a problem of remaining cut off from the outside world -- we are forced to pay heavily in terms of business loss. That the saboteurs are acting with a nefarious goal in their minds is proven by the fact that the fibre cable stolen by them has no resale value -- a clear proof of its being not a case of ordinary theft.

The issue has to be handled on a priority basis, given the great importance of the Internet and overseas telecommunications in today's world. As Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury has demanded, a proper investigation into the organised crime has to be conducted with a view to finding out the culprits and putting an end to it once and for all. This is an area where sloppy performance will mean colossal loss to the economy. It is really surprising that the BTTB authorities could do nothing to prevent the repetition of the same crime when the cable link was snapped six times in the past. The response to the subversive act has definitely been nowhere near what it should have been. It seems nobody is concerned about the communications system collapsing and putting Bangladesh out of the global network. Moreover, alternate arrangements for maintaining connectivity, when one cable link is disrupted, should be in place.

The BTTB decision makers and the ministry concerned must come up with a more detailed action plan than merely letting us know how many times the saboteurs succeeded in making the country incommunicado. Obviously, they need the law enforcers' service to stop such sabotage. However, the way the culprits are getting away with it is indicative of nothing substantial being done to scuttle their evil designs. The situation calls for firm action without any delay.