Mobile tower radiation not harmful to humans: BTRC
A survey was held in different areas of six divisions of the country to measure the radiation level of mobile phone network towers
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) claims that the level of radiation emitted by mobile phone network towers is below the international permissible limit, and is not harmful to humans or to the environment.
The regulatory body made the announcement during a presentation of a survey report at a discussion at a city hotel in the capital on Monday.
The survey was held in different areas of six divisions of the country.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Citing the survey report, BTRC Commissioner Aminul Hasan said, "Rumours about tower radiation are completely baseless."
He also asked the people not to be afraid.
Senior BTRC officials, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) researchers and representatives of the mobile phone industry were also present at the discussion.
Buet Professor Dr Satya Prasad Majumder said the BTRC survey finding is very satisfactory. "Rumours about the towers need to be proven false. There is nothing to be afraid of," he said.
He also criticised videos in which "fictitious comments" were made about "harmful" radiation from these towers.
"I urge them to refrain from making such statements. Rather, the radiation used in X-rays or other tests in diagnostic centres is more harmful, and they need to be more conscious about it."
Brig Gen Md Shahidul Alam, director general (Spectrum Management) of BTRC, said: "The standard permissible amount of radiation exposure from mobile phone network towers is below the limit set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and BTRC guidelines. So, there is no reason to be worried."
Dr Shamsuzzoha, deputy director of BTRC's Engineering and Operations Division presented the keynote paper.
He said there are two types of radiation – Ionising and non-Ionising. Only Ionising radiation is harmful to health.
"According to the ICNIRP standard, non-Ionising radiation should not be above 2.106W per square metre. But in Bangladesh, the radiation is far below that level," said Dr Shamsuzzoha.
The secretary general and CEO of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), Brig Gen SM Farhad (retd), moderated the discussion.
He said "We will need more sites when 5G is introduced. So, there is no reason to halt technology just by being scared. This will cause us to lag in the race."
Among others, the marketing director of Huawei Technology (Bangladesh), SM Nazmul Hasan, also spoke at the discussion.
