The Ministry of the Post and Telecommunications (MoPT) took the decision last night in the wake of disorderly distribution of subscription forms. Divisional Engineers, who were tasked with distributing the subscription forms, attended the meeting with the post and telecommunications secretary in the chair.

"Form distribution will resume soon after a proper distribution system is developed," a source attending the meeting told The Daily Star last night. Prospective subscribers will be notified of the announcement via mass media and at different exchanges.

Earlier on Thursday, Teletalk Bangladesh Limited, managed by Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), made the subscription open to the public. It started distributing subscription forms at 10 centres across the city.

The commercial launch of the much-publicised mobile phone service, fifth in the cellular industry and first ever in public sector, was however marred by violence. At least 50 people were injured because of mad rush for subscription at different distribution points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, rush for the state-owned mobile phone connections at different distribution centres in the city did not lessen despite reported poor service of the phone and police harassment.

Police resorted to mild baton charge to restore order for the second consecutive day yesterday as thousands of people queued for hours to collect subscription forms from Maghbazar Exchange. None, however, was reported to be hurt in the incident.

Some of the prospective subscribers even spent the Friday night in front of the form distribution centres to get a place ahead of others in the queue.

A few people, who were able to have a connection, have already grown frustrated with its service quality. "The call completion rate is very poor," said Istiaq Ali, who managed to secure a connection on the first day.

"It takes several efforts to make a call," he added.

Another subscriber alleged that the network is so poor that it does not even work while moving from one room to another.

Police yesterday dispersed hundreds of prospective subscribers who were queuing in front of Maghbazar exchange from the early morning. Some people sold a place in the line for as high as Tk 500.

Many people standing in the line blamed the Teletalk authorities for the disorder in distribution of forms. They said the forms were inadequate in number. Some 7,000 forms were distributed yesterday.

Some of the queuing subscribers alleged that BTTB officials, who have been wearing black badges to protest the launch of the mobile phone under a new company, collected forms from their colleagues at Maghbazar exchange.