The Bangladesh Telecom-munications Regulatory Commission has blocked 113,880 SIMs of different phone operators for using illegal call termination. Of the total number, 46,032 SIMs are of Banglalink, 30,152 of Warid, 22,140 of Grameenphone, 5,750 of AKTel, 532 of CityCell and 9,274 of Ranks Tel, according to a BTRC press release.

It said the number of incoming calls from abroad using legal channel has increased due to various steps taken by the BTRC, giving a boost to revenue earnings of the BTRC. The number of legal incoming call has increased 36.20 per cent since February. The duration of international calls in February was 60.3 crore minutes while 67.2 crore minutes in March, 67.3 crore minutes in April, 70.3 crore minutes in May, 70.9 crore minutes in June, 77 crore minutes in July and 81.6 crore minutes in August (mid-August). With these incoming calls, the BTRC posted revenue earning of Tk 45.3 crore in February, Tk 53.11 crore in March, Tk 55.28 in April, Tk 51.18 crore in May and Tk 50.72 crore in June.

-New age