[🇧🇩] Telecommunication Industry in Bangladesh

[Saif]

Govt proposes conditional concessions over 700MHz spectrum auction

The government has formally responded to concerns raised by major foreign telecom investors regarding the upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction, proposing conditional pricing concessions to ease industry apprehensions.

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Govt proposes conditional concessions over 700MHz spectrum auction
Move designed to alleviate investor concerns

The government has formally responded to concerns raised by major foreign telecom investors regarding the upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction, proposing conditional pricing concessions to ease industry apprehensions.

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser with executive authority over the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and ICT, suggested a potential 5-10 percent reduction in spectrum prices.

However, this discount would be contingent upon mobile network operators committing to infrastructure upgrades, lowering consumer prices and enhancing service quality.

The move comes after foreign investors expressed reservations about the auction, citing high costs and uncertain returns.

In a letter dated March 25, Taiyeb acknowledged investor apprehensions about spectrum costs, limited bandwidth availability and device compatibility, but underscored the state's focus on aligning pricing with global standards and addressing systemic sectoral inefficiencies.

Earlier on March 17, major international telecom investors expressed concerns about the proposed parameters for the upcoming auction, citing technical, commercial and economic challenges.

In a joint letter addressed to Taiyeb, the parent companies of Bangladesh's leading mobile network operators urged the government to reconsider the auction's timing and pricing structure.

Signed by senior executives of Axiata, Telenor, and Veon, the letter highlighted three key issues with the current plan: the limited amount of spectrum being released, the disproportionately high pricing and limited device compatibility with the 700MHz band.

Citing a 40 percent devaluation of the Bangladeshi Taka against the US dollar since 2022, Taiyeb defended its dollar-denominated spectrum valuation as a safeguard against currency risks for foreign-dominated telecom operators, which repatriate profits in USD.

Responding to concerns over partial release of spectrum in the 700 MHz band -- 2x25MHz out of a total 2x45MHz -- Taiyeb said efforts were underway to resolve technical and commercial barriers for releasing the remainder, emphasising the band's role in expanding 4G/5G coverage and IoT services.

While noting 50 percent of existing 4G devices already support 700MHz, the government revealed plans to mandate local manufacturers and importers to halt non-compliant device sales -- a policy expected to boost penetration "significantly" within months.

The letter sharply criticised mobile network operators for underutilising higher-frequency spectrum bands (7–18 percent usage) intended for urban capacity, blaming inadequate deployment of critical infrastructure like Baseband Units (BBU) and Radio Resource Units (RRU) for fragmented networks, slow speeds and frequent call drops.

It accused operators of maintaining "artificially" high internet prices and restrictive data validity periods, perpetuating a "vicious cycle" that limits digital adoption despite low utilisation rates.

"Mobile network operators have not shown proper willingness to adjust consumer pricing accordingly. Moreover, the very short data validity period of national internet packages is being criticised in society," Taiyeb said.

"This seems to be a coordinated vicious cycle that mobile network operators have artificially engineered, holding back the growth of internet services," he added.

The telecom regulator aims to auction spectrum in the 700 MHz band this year to support the expansion of 4G and rollout 5G networks in the country.

It set the price at Tk 263 crore per MHz, but mobile operators are unhappy with that decision so further negotiations are anticipated in this regard.

The latest spectrum auction took place in March 2022, when the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission fetched around $1.23 billion as operators acquired a total of 190MHz spectrum.​

 

[Saif]

Internet user base shows signs of recovery in Feb

After months of decline, Bangladesh's internet user base showed signs of stabilisation in February 2025, according to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). The number of mobile internet users saw a slight increase from 116.02 million in January to 116.03 mill

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Internet user base shows signs of recovery in Feb
FE REPORT
Published :
Mar 30, 2025 00:29
Updated :
Mar 30, 2025 00:29

After months of decline, Bangladesh's internet user base showed signs of stabilisation in February 2025, according to data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

The number of mobile internet users saw a slight increase from 116.02 million in January to 116.03 million in February, while broadband users remained unchanged at 14.04 million.

In June 2024, the country had approximately 129.17 million mobile internet users. However, by January 2025, this figure had fallen to 116.02 million, reflecting a loss of over 13 million users.

Similarly, the total number of internet subscribers, including both mobile and broadband users, declined from 142.17 million in June 2024 to 130.06 million in January 2025.

Industry experts attributed this decline to factors such as rising living costs, increased taxation, and political instability.

A telecom expert noted that growing expenses have deterred consumers from acquiring new connections, making it difficult to keep marginalised populations connected.

Additionally, higher usage costs have discouraged many from maintaining alternative connections, he said.

Despite these challenges, the slight uptick in mobile internet users in February 2025 offers a glimmer of hope for the sector, suggesting a possible easing of the factors that contributed to the decline registered earlier.

However, the broadband segment has remained flat, indicating that further efforts may be needed to stimulate growth in this area.

Meanwhile, the overall number of mobile subscribers continued to decline during the same period.​

 

[Saif]

Draft telecom policy keeps door open for monopoly

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) draft policy to reform its complex licensing regime arrives with bold promises — streamlining processes, encouraging competition, and attracting foreign investment.

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Draft telecom policy keeps door open for monopoly

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission's (BTRC) draft policy to reform its complex licensing regime arrives with bold promises — streamlining processes, encouraging competition, and attracting foreign investment.

Yet, beneath the surface, certain clauses lack clarity and may safeguard existing market inequalities, empower dominant players, sideline local entrepreneurs, and, in some cases, discourage foreign ownership, said experts.

At the core of the proposed reforms is the consolidation of the licensing structure in the telecommunications sector — where there are over 20 types of licences — into three broad categories: National Infrastructure & Connectivity Service Provider (NICSP), International Connectivity Service Provider (ICSP), and Access Network Service Provider (ANSP).

However, despite its aim to "promote local entrepreneurship by fostering fair competition," the draft guidelines place no limitations on foreign partners acquiring ownership stakes in any other BTRC licensees, which may end up opening the door to cross-ownership and foreign control across all segments — without offering similar leverage to local entities.

Experts warn that this imbalance could lead to anti-competitive consolidation, policy loopholes, and further erosion of domestic participation in a sector vital to national digital sovereignty.

For instance, Axiata Group, which owns Robi Axiata; Telenor, which holds a majority stake in Grameenphone; and Veon, owner of Banglalink, will be eligible to simultaneously hold a stake in licensees from all three categories.

BTRC Chairman Md Emdad ul Bari said the policy had been designed this way to attract traceable foreign investment.

As an example, he cited Axiata Group's investment in edotco Bangladesh despite its existing stake in Robi Axiata.

However, experts have warned that this move could lead to discrimination, discourage local entrepreneurship, and potentially result in monopolistic practices.

Notably, this provision contradicts a clause in the draft itself, which prohibits ANSPs from holding ICSP licences.

Abu Nazam M Tanveer Hossain, a telecom policy expert, said, "In the absence of strict cross-ownership restrictions, dominant players may exploit their market power in one segment to suppress competition in others. A clear separation between service layers is essential to prevent anti-competitive practices. Allowing foreign ownership across multiple layers of licensing undermines this principle."

He also argued that the policy's allowance of up to 49 percent foreign ownership in the ICSP category, 70 percent in NICSP, and 100 percent in ANSP could ultimately stifle foreign investment.

Such inconsistency risks enabling regulatory arbitrage and discouraging financially and technically capable international firms from entering the market.

"To create a level playing field and attract long-term, sustainable foreign investment, the policy should consider removing ownership caps entirely and ensure that equity stakes genuinely reflect foreign capital — not local loans disguised as equity infusions," Hossain said.

Interestingly, the 70 percent foreign investment cap under the NICSP category aligns with the current foreign ownership structure of Summit Communications, the country's largest national transmission service provider, which holds most of the key licences in the telecommunications sector.

Last year, Summit Communications sold 70 percent of its shares to UAE-based Global Energies and Mauritius-based Sequoia Infra Tech for Tk 170.5 crore.

Axiata Group's stake in edotco also matches the ownership ratio proposed for this category of licence.

BTRC officials, however, claimed this was a mere coincidence.

One commendable proposal in the draft policy is the phasing out of outdated intermediaries such as operators of Internet Gateways (IIG), Interconnection Exchanges (ICX), National Internet Exchanges (NIX), and International Gateways (IGW).

The proposed ANSP licence will consolidate mobile and fixed-line services into two sub-categories: Cellular Mobile Service for operators using technologies like GSM, 5G, and future evolutions; and Fixed Telecom Service for wired or wireless broadband providers.

These licensees will manage last-mile connectivity, offer bundled voice, data, and digital services, and share passive infrastructure such as towers and fibre, though spectrum sharing will require BTRC approval.

Existing mobile operators, ISPs, and Public Switched Telephone Network providers will migrate to these categories, with fixed-line operators barred from holding mobile licences to prevent market dominance.

However, the policy's suggestion to phase out these intermediaries only upon licence expiry could create delays and regulatory loopholes, allowing dominant players to retain multiple licences across categories.

For instance, Summit Communications and Fiber@Home both hold NTTN licences, valid until 2039, alongside International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) licences. This overlap creates confusion as to whether they will continue operating across both categories.

Another contentious issue arises from a provision allowing mobile operators to combine radio and wired access technologies to offer enterprise solutions.

This may mean that mobile operators will be allowed to deploy fibre from their towers directly to routers placed within business premises — capturing a significant share of the most lucrative segment of the broadband market, traditionally served by fixed-line providers.

Md Emdadul Hoque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh, warned that if the new policy permits mobile network operators (MNOs) to offer last-mile connectivity using radio or cable under the guise of "enterprise solutions," it could directly conflict with the existing fixed broadband licensing framework.

"Therefore, we propose the following clarification," he added. "If BTRC authorises MNOs to deploy last-mile infrastructure, this should be explicitly stated in a separate clause, making it clear that such deployment is limited strictly to MNOs' internal infrastructure needs, such as base transceiver station interconnections."

However, Shahed Alam, chief corporate and regulatory officer at Robi Axiata, dismissed those objections as "baseless and misconceived."

He argued that MNOs already provide connectivity solutions under the scope of their existing licences. The draft policy, he noted, merely clarifies an existing practice.

BTRC Chairman Bari reaffirmed the regulator's foundational principle: wired services will be provided by broadband operators, while wireless services will fall under mobile operators.

He said the local entrepreneurship-driven broadband service sector would be kept highly protected, with no foreign investment allowed.

"There will be a clarification on this matter in the final policy," he said.

However, he acknowledged that as technology evolves, the boundaries between wired and wireless segments will inevitably blur.

He added that BTRC is currently reviewing the feedback received on the draft policy and will incorporate necessary revisions before submitting it to the ministry for final approval.​

 

[Saif]

Mobile operators welcome govt's proposed reforms to telecom sector

The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) has voiced support for the government's proposed Telecommunications Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025, terming it a "bold and necessary step" towards overhauling the country's outdated telecom regulatory framework. In a state

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Mobile operators welcome govt's proposed reforms to telecom sector

UNB
Published :
Jun 03, 2025 21:35
Updated :
Jun 03, 2025 21:35

The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) has voiced support for the government's proposed Telecommunications Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025, terming it a "bold and necessary step" towards overhauling the country's outdated telecom regulatory framework.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the industry body acknowledged recent media discussions surrounding the draft policy and called for a clearer, fact-based understanding of the reforms.

"While we appreciate the concerns raised by stakeholders, we believe it is critical to present a clearer, fact-based perspective regarding the proposed reform," said AMTOB.

Refuting claims that the draft favours foreign companies or mobile operators, AMTOB said that the proposed policy does not offer any undue advantage to either group.

In fact, it continues to curtail the operational scope of mobile operators, who are at the frontline of delivering telecom and digital services to consumers across the country, it said.

Citing legacy issues stemming from the 2007 International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) Policy, AMTOB criticised the sector's fragmentation, which introduced multiple intermediary entities such as IGWs, IIGs, ICXs, and NTTNs. These entities, according to AMTOB, add minimal value to service delivery while inflating costs and creating inefficiencies.

Despite these limitations, the association welcomed the government's intent, describing the new policy structure, which proposes dividing the licensing regime into International Connectivity Services, National Infrastructure Connectivity Services, and Access Network Services, as a marked improvement over the current model.

The association argued that, in most countries, mobile operators are granted the autonomy to manage end-to-end infrastructure, resulting in more affordable and higher-quality services for consumers. In contrast, Bangladesh's heavily segmented licensing regime continues to stifle sectoral growth and compromise user experience.

"Reform in the telecom sector is not just an industry imperative - it is a national interest," AMTOB stressed, adding that a modern, competitive telecom ecosystem is vital to achieving a digitally advanced economy and supporting national socio-economic goals.

"While the current reform proposal is not the final solution, it sets the right tone," the statement said.​

 

[Saif]

NovoTel Limited: Powering Bangladesh’s digital future with global telecom leadership

In the digital age, NovoTel Limited has positioned itself as a key player in Bangladesh's telecom industry. As the first privately owned International Gateway operator in the country, NovoTel has demonstrated impressive vision and engineering expertise in developing an integrated, resilient, and fu

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

NovoTel Limited: Powering Bangladesh’s digital future with global telecom leadership

FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
Jun 22, 2025 20:37
Updated :
Jun 22, 2025 20:37

In the digital age, NovoTel Limited has positioned itself as a key player in Bangladesh's telecom industry. As the first privately owned International Gateway operator in the country, NovoTel has demonstrated impressive vision and engineering expertise in developing an integrated, resilient, and future-ready telecom network. Established in 2008 with a licence from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the company has consistently set new standards for quality, scalability, and global interoperability. NovoTel's contributions extend beyond basic connectivity, with the company actively involved in fostering innovation and driving digital inclusion across Bangladesh.

NovoTel's core infrastructure is built upon a robust foundation of cutting-edge technologies and strategic partnerships. Its network architecture incorporates advanced routing and switching equipment, along with redundant fibre optic links to ensure high availability and low latency. The company's global partnerships with leading technology vendors and service providers further enhance its capabilities, allowing it to offer a comprehensive suite of services, including voice, data, and value-added solutions. These services are vital to supporting the growing demand for digital connectivity in Bangladesh, which is essential for economic development and social progress.

NovoTel's commitment to quality is evident in its rigorous testing and monitoring processes. The company operates a state-of-the-art network operations centre that provides 24/7 monitoring and support, ensuring optimal performance and rapid response to any potential issues. NovoTel is dedicated to complying with all regulatory requirements and industry standards, demonstrating its commitment to responsible and ethical business practices. NovoTel’s engineering prowess is reflected in its ability to design and deploy complex network solutions tailored to the specific needs of its customers. NovoTel's proactive approach to network management and security helps to maintain its strong market position and foster trust among its stakeholders.

At its core, NovoTel specialises in IP Networking, Transmission Infrastructure, and Core Voice Switching, effectively handling over 400 million minutes of international voice traffic every month. Its strategic Points of Presence in Equinix IBX, Singapore, and Epsilon Global Hubs, London, serve as crucial interconnection nodes, facilitating seamless data and voice transmission with leading global carriers. Connectivity is established via STM-1 TDM circuits and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine and terrestrial cables, ensuring low latency, robust redundancy, and geographic diversity for network resilience. This infrastructure is supported by robust network management and security protocols, which are essential for maintaining the integrity and reliability of its services.

NovoTel is a proud telecommunications venture of the Tusuka Group, a renowned Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate known for high-quality denim and sustainable apparel. Led by the visionary Arshad Jamal Dipu, who serves as both NovoTel's Chairman and Tusuka Group's Founder, the company has expanded beyond traditional voice services into enterprise connectivity, data transmission, and aviation. This diversification strategy enables NovoTel to address a broader range of market needs and capitalise on emerging opportunities in the digital economy.

The strategic foresight of NovoTel's leadership has materialised through the development of synergistic subsidiaries. NovoCom Limited, licensed as an International Terrestrial Cable and International Internet Gateway operator, provides IPLC, Global MPLS, IP Transit, and data co-location services. With points of presence in Singapore and London, NovoCom plays a vital role in Bangladesh's international internet routing and enterprise-grade data services. InterCloud Limited operates as a nationwide ISP and IP Telephony Service Provider, delivering business internet, cloud collaboration tools, SIP trunking, and a proprietary app called "brilliant CONNECT" that enables secure and scalable enterprise communications. Bangla ICX, one of the largest Interconnection Exchange operators, handles domestic and international call routing through high-capacity STM-1 circuits. Bangla ICX provides real-time traffic monitoring, codec conversion, and ensures interoperability among major telecom operators in Bangladesh. NOVOAIR, the aviation wing of the group, exemplifies operational excellence in domestic and regional passenger air travel, offering superior safety, punctuality, and service, while extending NovoTel's brand into aviation and travel-tech solutions. NovoTel's multi-faceted approach ensures a comprehensive suite of services that address different layers of connectivity and communication needs in Bangladesh.

NovoTel’s integrated ecosystem promotes digital access, international trade, and employment. With secure, scalable, and standards-aligned infrastructure, the company plays a vital role in Bangladesh’s digital transformation and 5G readiness. As Bangladesh advances technologically, NovoTel Limited is a national leader driving the country's digital economy. NovoTel's leadership team, with expertise in engineering, innovation, and business strategy, is not just participating in the global telecom industry, but shaping its future.​

 

[Saif]

BNP warns draft telecom policy may favour big operators

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday expressed concern over the draft Telecommunication Network and Licensing Regime Reform Policy 2025, saying that the proposed policy could disproportionately benefit the large telecommunication companies while hurting the small and medium enterprises...

www.newagebd.net

BNP warns draft telecom policy may favour big operators
Staff Correspondent 03 July, 2025, 21:08

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday expressed concern over the draft Telecommunication Network and Licensing Regime Reform Policy 2025, saying that the proposed policy could disproportionately benefit the large telecommunication companies while hurting the small and medium enterprises.Bangladesh-themed souvenirs

At an emergency press conference held at the BNP chairperson’s office at Gulshan in the capital Dhaka, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticised the draft policy, saying it lacked inclusivity and risked increasing market monopolisation.

He said that the draft policy clearly maintained structural advantages for major telecommunication operators, which would strengthen dominance rather than foster competition.

He warned that this could pose serious challenges to the SMEs and independent internet service providers, particularly in terms of regulatory uncertainty and financial sustainability.

‘The initiative, while commendable in intention, is being pushed forward without proper consultation. This is a matter of national importance and should not be decided in hast,’ Fakhrul said.

He said that a thorough economic and social impact assessment had to be conducted, and that all relevant stakeholders, including the SMEs, industry experts and consumer rights groups, should be consulted before the policy was finalised.

Fakhrul pointed to several issues in the draft, including the removal of restrictions on cross-ownership across telecommunication services, which he claimed would allow large mobile operators to establish monopolies in multiple sectors.

He warned that the deregulation framework, if implemented without clear safeguards, could force smaller firms into financial distress.

‘There is ambiguity surrounding foreign ownership limits and enterprise service boundaries, which could both deter investment and destabilise the sector,’ Fakhrul said.

He also raised concern over spectrum dependency under the proposed application and network service provider licensing framework, saying it would further advantage larger players with greater resources.

The BNP called on the government to approach the telecommunication reform with caution, transparency and participatory engagement, particularly at that time with a national election approaching.

BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan said that the goal of any modern technology policy should be to ensure benefits reach the public — not just major corporations.

‘We support technological advancement and digital expansion, but if the benefits of AI, broadband and digital services do not reach rural populations, the country’s digital transformation will be incomplete and unjust,’ he said.​

 

[Saif]

New telecom policy aims to end syndicates, boost 5G, cheaper internet

Bangladesh’s telecom system, long criticised for inefficiency and corruption, is undergoing a major overhaul under the proposed ‘Telecom Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025’.

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New telecom policy aims to end syndicates, boost 5G, cheaper internet
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb
​

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser at the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology.

Bangladesh's telecom system, long criticised for inefficiency and corruption, is undergoing a major overhaul under the proposed 'Telecom Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025'.

At a speech delivered on July 7, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser at the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology, laid out a roadmap for dismantling syndicate control, reducing consumer costs, and modernising digital infrastructure in line with international standards.

"Our internet has been described as the worst in the world," said Taiyeb, referring to a May 2 conference hosted by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

"Since then, some vested interests and media circles connected to the communication mafia have launched attacks on us. But we remain committed to reform," he added.

To tackle this, the new licensing framework seeks to align with international standards set by bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and GSMA. The government intends to phase out outdated licenses and introduce a "world-class structure" designed to last 10 to 12 years, as per Faiz Taiyeb.

"We aim to discard licensing tiers like ICX and NIX which no longer exist anywhere else in the world," Faiz Taiyeb added.

Cracking down on rent-seeking licences
Taiyeb criticised the proliferation of toll-based operators issued under the 2010 International Long Distance Telecommunication Services (ILDTS) policy, calling them "toll collectors" who add little to no value to the telecom ecosystem.

"By 2024, BTRC had issued 3,573 licences across 29 categories, many of them to Awami League-aligned individuals. Entities like ICX (Interconnection exchange), IGW (International Gateway), IOF (International Origination Function), NIX (National Internet Exchange) and IIG (International Internet Gateway) have siphoned hundreds of crores with minimal infrastructure investment," Faiz Taiyeb said, citing figures like BDT 631 crore in Market Development Fees (MDS) 95% of which routed through Beximco Computers and a total estimated embezzlement of BDT 8,000 crore through IOF over nine years.

"Mobile operators are facing losses of BDT 19 crore per month, ICX BDT 16 crore, and BTRC BDT 47 crore per month due to the IGW/IOF syndicate," Faiz Taiyeb added.

Restructuring the licence landscape
The new policy would put internet service providers (ISPs) under a lighter regulatory system. "We initially wanted to fully deregulate ISPs," said Taiyeb, "but they themselves requested licensing in order to secure loans. That is why they do not want to be fully deregulated."

There will also be limits on how much foreign companies can own. "Foreign investors can hold up to 49% in the international layer and up to 55–60% in the national layer. Even for the two 100% foreign-owned operators, we're imposing an 80% ceiling," he said.

The government will eliminate licence renewals for ICX and IGW after 2027. "Because of the ICX phase 5 paisa per call minute charge is added. We will request MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) to reflect this cost reduction in their rates," he said.

The reform intends to reduce the number of network layers from six or seven to three, and along with a reduction in taxes, this is expected to lower internet costs for consumers.

Taiyeb also criticised a 2010 policy that banned mobile operators from deploying their own fibre infrastructure and instead handed exclusive control to two NTTN (Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network) companies.

"The BDT 2100 crore Info Sarkar III project was effectively privatised by two individuals. This dual monopoly is coming to an end," Faiz Taiyeb stated.

Under the new framework, the monopoly will be dismantled, and state-owned enterprises like BTCL, Railway, and PGCB will be allowed to expand freely, according to Faiz Taiyeb.

Breaking up cartels and recovering dues
Taiyeb detailed how the IGW Operators Forum (IOF), formed in 2013 under Salman F. Rahman's leadership, monopolised international call termination and under-reported revenue.

"Mobile operators were banned from bringing in direct international calls, while IOFs were reporting revenue of $0.006 even though they terminated calls at $0.03 per minute. By 2024, the actual termination rate had dropped to $0.001, but IOFs were still reporting $0.0004 per minute," he added.

"This gap has caused the government to lose more than BDT 8,000 crore in revenue in the last 12 years. This huge amount of revenue loss has all gone into the pockets of Salman F. Rahman Gang," Faiz Taiyeb said.

BTRC is imposing 4 restrictions on defaulters - banning share transfers, ownership changes, licence renewals, and name changes. Relief will be granted only upon payment of 50% of dues and a notarised commitment to pay the rest within a year.

Planning for 5G and future internet growth
Taiyeb also projected internet usage to reach 80 Tbps in ten years, possibly 200 Tbps in high-growth scenarios. He warned against relying on narrow baseline figures of 7–8 Tbps, noting that internal caching and inter-cluster bandwidth must be factored into future infrastructure planning.

"Due to the millisecond (1000th of a second) level latency in 5G services, you can find mission critical usage, such as robotic surgery, driverless vehicles, port management, IoT, etc. as suitable areas for various innovations. Therefore, the more innovative we become in 5G services, the more its usage will increase," Faiz Taiyeb said.

A push for accountability
Taiyeb also responded to media reports that claimed the government tried to stop an anti corruption commission (ACC) investigation.

"Recently, a newspaper published a report that an attempt was made to stop the ACC investigation by issuing a DO Letter. This is not true at all. The DO Letter was basically a request for the ACC's sincere cooperation," Faiz Taiyeb clarified in his speech.

As part of the reforms, the government is preparing a new Telecom Policy, an updated Telecom Act, and clear service quality rules. Two White Paper Committees - one for telecom and another for ICT - will gather complaints and report any irregularities.

"BTRC, irregularities including appointments and transfers in Telecom can be informed to the Telecom White Paper. Similarly, any irregularities in the ICT Division or its projects started during the previous government can also be reported to the ICT White Paper Committee," Faiz Taiyeb said.​

 

[Saif]

BTRC directs telcos to provide 1GB free internet on July 18

The telecom regulator has instructed all mobile phone operators to offer 1GB of free internet to users on July 18, in observance of “Free Internet Day”. The initiative is part of the government’s effort to commemorate the July Uprising, reports BSS. The decision was made during

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

BTRC directs telcos to provide 1GB free internet on July 18

FE Online Desk
Published :
Jul 09, 2025 21:52
Updated :
Jul 09, 2025 21:52

The telecom regulator has instructed all mobile phone operators to offer 1GB of free internet to users on July 18, in observance of “Free Internet Day”.

The initiative is part of the government’s effort to commemorate the July Uprising, reports BSS.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on July 8, chaired by the commission’s vice chairman, according to the BTRC order.

Top officials of mobile operators have confirmed the issue, saying that they have received a directive from the telecom regulator regarding the free internet.

Taimur Rahman, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer of Banglalink, said “We respect and support the initiative to honour those who lost their lives last July.”

He said, “Having just received the government’s request to provide 1GB of free internet on July 18, we are currently assessing its feasibility and exploring other options if required.”

“Moreover, as Toffee is our digital infotainment platform, we are also exploring if we can use this platform to offer something special in remembrance of last July,” he added.

Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer at Robi Axiata Limited said that “Whether bonus data or gifts will be given to customers on any special occasion is essentially a commercial decision, and we believe operators should have the freedom to make that decision. Additionally, factors like network load and customer interest are also important in making such decisions.”

The initiative carries particular weight this year, as it marks the first anniversary of the internet blackout imposed by the than Sheikh Hasina-led government on July 18, 2024, during a violent crackdown on quota reform protests. The unrest culminated in her ouster weeks later, in early August.

According to the directive, BTRC approved the decision following instructions from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications aimed at reflecting public aspirations and promoting digital freedom.

To ensure smooth execution, operators have been asked to notify users in advance via SMS and extend full cooperation in observing the day.

The order suggested a SMS, mentioning “No one will take away freedom to use the internet. On the occasion of July Uprising Day, (you are) receiving 1GB of data on July 18 with validity for 5 days.”

BTRC emphasized that this symbolic gesture of digital freedom aligns with the spirit of the July Uprising and serves the broader public interest.

However, senior officials from a mobile operator noted that telecom companies are still obligated to pay taxes on all distributed data. “The government should clarify whether the free data will be tax-exempt,” the officials said, adding that operators must also cover network transmission and delivery costs. “BTRC needs to clarify whether other stakeholders will support this effort.”​