Govt committee finds excessive radiation in BTS

A government committee has found excessive emission of radiation from base transceiver stations (BTS) of a mobile phone operator after conducting examinations as per a 2012 directive of High Court. The excessive electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is believed to be harmful for public health and environment. The committee has suggested the High Court to direct Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to examine all BTS installed by six mobile operators across the country. A report, prepared by the committee, also suggested that the BTRC could be directed to monitor the base stations regularly and through examinations it can take steps to reduce the emission of radiation to the level suggested by the World Heath Organisation (WHO). It also opined that the BTRC authorities should prepare a guideline in consultation with Buet for installing BTS towers on rooftops of residential buildings. The report was submitted to the Health Ministry on July 30,2013 by an eight-member expert committee of the ministry complying with a High Court order following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh in 2012. Deputy Attorney General Kazi Jinat Haque, who placed the report before the High Court bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Salim on Wednesday, told Dhaka Tribune that the court will pass further order on the issue on March 28. “The court has asked to submit the report through affidavit on Tuesday,” she said. The High Court in its directive had asked the government to examine radiation emitted from BTS and its impact on health and environment. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) chairman was asked to form a committee to examine the radiation by visiting mobile phone towers, while the health secretary was asked to form an expert committee to find out the impact of EMR on human body and environment. The eight-member committee was headed by an additional secretary to the Health Ministry and had representatives from Environment and Forest Ministry, Dhaka Medical College, BSMMU, and BAEC.