Broadband Growth and Policy Concerns Highlighted in National Discussion
Freelancers in rural areas are bringing in remittances using broadband internet connections as affordable as BDT 500, while families stay connected with relatives abroad through the same service. Meanwhile, a significant portion of domestic revenue is being spent on OTT and entertainment platforms, sending money overseas. Additionally, the government takes BDT 60 from every BDT 100 spent on the internet. Experts suggest that establishing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) hub in the country, similar to neighboring nations, could reduce internet costs by 50%. Instead of abrupt policy changes and new licensing for mobile operators in broadband services, industry stakeholders have called for a collaborative approach between mobile and broadband internet providers.
These concerns were raised on Sunday, March 9, at a discussion titled "Ensuring High-Speed, Quality, and Affordable Internet at the Grassroots Level," organized by the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association at the National Press Club in Dhaka. The session was chaired by the organization’s president, Mohiuddin Ahmed, with the keynote presentation delivered by telecommunications expert Mustafa Mahmud Hossain.
The event featured key figures, including Chief Advisor’s Special Assistant for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb as the chief guest. Special guests included BNP’s International Affairs Committee Special Assistant Engineer Ishraq Hossain, Managing Director of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited Dr. Mohammad Imadur Rahman, BTRC Director General Brigadier General Khalilur Rahman, telecommunications expert Mahtab Uddin, IIGAB President Aminul Hakim, CEO of BD Jobs and former BASIS President Fahim Mashroor, former ISPAB Vice President Saiful Islam Siddique, AB Party Vice Chairman Lt. Col. (Retd.) Helal Uddin, BASIS Associate Committee President Rafel Kabir, former director of the Bangladesh Competition Commission Khaled Abu Nasir, Grameenphone Limited’s Senior Director of Corporate Affairs Hossain Sadat, Banglalink’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman, and Robi’s Director of Regulation Shah Md. Fazle Khoda, among others.
The keynote presentation proposed several policy recommendations, including the establishment of a telecommunications and technology service reform commission. It suggested setting a minimum broadband and mobile internet speed of 20 Mbps, defining quality benchmarks, reducing the cost of voice calls and internet services, and eliminating expiration dates for data packages. Furthermore, it urged the government to issue a proclamation ensuring that internet access would not be arbitrarily restricted. Additionally, it called for the state to recognize internet access as a fundamental right.
The recommendations also emphasized eliminating illegal ISP operations while restricting mobile operators from entering the ISP business. Reducing overhead fiber to near zero, allowing market competition to determine bandwidth and NTTN pricing instead of regulatory price-setting, lowering taxes on internet services, and mandating mobile operators to provide installment-based payment options for affordable handsets were also proposed.
The discussion also highlighted concerns that if mobile operators enter the broadband internet sector, independent ISPs may struggle to sustain their businesses.
