At the time of Khawaja Tower fire disaster, the internet service providers tried to keep internet system normal in Dhaka city by offering mutual assistance from one operator to another. But it was not possible to develop connectivity outside Dhaka. That’s why internet traders have asked for electricity connection by today. ISPAB President Imdadul Haque believes that if electricity is available today, if work is started, everything will be normalized within two days.
He opined so in response to various questions of journalists in front of Khawaja Tower in Amtali, Mohakhali on Friday morning.
ISPAB President said, today we entered and found almost all the equipment there in good condition. Especially the data center equipment seems to be in good condition. But until we power up, go live, we can’t say whether our equipment is active or working.
If the equipment are taken out or placed in another data center, it will take a long time to make the internet live, he added, if this is done, it will take about a week for the internet to be normal. Because we are not getting enough space in the data center. At the existing situation of the building now, it is possible to make the datacenter live. But for that we need electricity connection and supply. If this is done, we will be able to provide internet service as before today.
However, the owner does not want to allow the employees of the internet service provider to enter the building so fast and restore electricity connection. They want to take the time to identify the damages first and then to restore the working environment in the building.
Earlier, Nazmul Haque of Dhaka Colo internet service provider had the opportunity to enter the building on Friday morning. Coming out of there, he said, ‘The fire started from the fourth floor. It rose upwards and burnt down to the 13th floor. IIG NRB on 11th floor was badly damaged. The rest did not suffer much as their equipment was safe. Dhaka Colo is on 10th floor. Although there was a fire, the interior of the room did not burn much. The lobby equipment of the floor is burnt.’
It may be noted that, in the Khawaja Tower, the First Security Islami Bank is on the 3rd floor, Grameenphone Data Center is on the 4th floor, Earth Telecommunication Limited, Race Online, Orbit Telecom are on the 10th floor. NRB Telecom is on the 11th floor, and Saif Power Tech Group is on the remaining 7 floors of the building.