The Bangladesh Telegraph and telephone Board (Hfl B) would incur heavy financial losses due to non-collect ion of monthly subscriber bills over the next few months, if it fails to resolve the deadlock over bill preparation soon.

BTTB's contract with (he private company, which prepared monthly bills for telephone and telex subscribers since 1998, expired on January 31. So far, (here has been virtually no progress in either striking a fresh deal or renewing the previous contract.

ft is highly unlikely that the BTTB would be able to send telephone bills for January. February and March to its subscribers in the next few months.

Due to the deadlock over bill preparation, the BTT B looks set to incur heavy revenue loss, as it would be deprived of bank interest, sources said. Also, it would create bigger avenue for corruption such as non- and under-billing, they added.

On an average, the BTTBcollectsTk 85 to lOOcroreon every' month from about 5.5 lakh telephone and 2000 telex subscribers sources in the BTTB said.

The BTTB makes a net profit of over Ik 600 crore from

.tn annual turnoverofTk 1200crore.

Typically, the clients of BTTB deposit the telephone bills with commercial banks, and the board earns crores in bank interest. I lowever, no bill lias been deposited for thelast three months, as the board is not issuing any bill.

Non-collection of bills would also worsen BIT B’s business relations with foreign countries, independent satellite operators and local private mobile phone operators. Al present, the BTTB is unable to either realise bills from or pay to its overseas counterparts.

The BTTB also risks incurring huge losses due to corruption. Board officials said unscrupulous telephone subscribers can now make numerous phone calls, especially NWI) and ISD for months on end and abandon the numbers when the board would finally be able to issue bills and disconnect their numbers due to nonpayment.

"Nunnally, a subscriber needs to pay monthly bill or faces disconnection after three months*of nonpayment." said an official. "But in current situation, he or she has an unlimited time to make overseas calls. By the time, BIT B issues bills, he or she can make enough calls to abandon the line and still be benefited."