BTRC Seeks Restoration of Pre‑2010 Autonomy, Cites Political Interference and Market Distortions
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has formally asked the government to scrap the former Awami League administration’s 2010 amendments to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, arguing that the changes stripped the regulator of its independence and opened the door to political meddling in licensing, tariff‐setting and enforcement.
In a 16 April letter to Posts & Telecommunications Division (PTD) Secretary Dr Md Mushfiqur Rahman—copied to the interim government’s special adviser for ICT, Fayez Ahmed Tayyeb—BTRC Director‑General Ashish Kumar Kundu writes that re‑establishing an autonomous commission is essential if Bangladesh is to attract domestic and foreign investment and deliver “modern, affordable and secure digital services”.
The letter encloses a draft “Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory (Amendment) Ordinance” prepared by an internal committee. It proposes reverting to the 2001 framework, under which BTRC enjoyed what it terms “true independence” until the 2010 overhaul placed key operational decisions under ministerial pre‑approval.
Allegations of political licence‑shopping
Sector insiders echo the regulator’s grievances, claiming ministry pressure forced BTRC to issue extra Internet gateway and other licences to politically connected firms, some of which later defaulted on fees or shut down. BTRC is still owed about Tk 22 billion by BTCL and Tk 18 billion by state‑run operator Teletalk, yet, under section 21 of the amended law, all telecom revenues must be paid directly to the Treasury—leaving the watchdog “toothless”, officials say.
Ministry signals conditional support
Special adviser Fayez Ahmed Tayyeb told reporters any restoration of autonomy must be balanced with accountability. He outlined three conditions:
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Trade‑off between independence and oversight – major decisions impacting the six state‑owned telecom entities would still require PTD clearance.
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Safeguarding SOE interests – licensing and regulatory policy must account for those operators.
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Guaranteeing open internet – legal changes should prevent any future government from arbitrarily shutting down connectivity.
A senior ministry source, requesting anonymity, added that BTRC must first “clean up its own house”, hinting that unresolved graft allegations against former chairmen and officials could delay full autonomy.
Draft ordinance at a glance
The proposed text would:
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Remove the 2010 clauses mandating prior governmental approval for licensing, renewals, tariff setting and administrative action.
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Re‑empower BTRC to manage its own revenue fund.
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Re‑establish the commission as a statutory, self‑governing body akin to independent regulators in over 100 ITU member states.
The PTD is expected to circulate the draft for inter‑ministerial review before forwarding it to the advisory council. No timetable has been disclosed.
If enacted, analysts say the reform could accelerate 5G licensing and attract fresh capital to Bangladesh’s US $16‑billion telecom market—but only if accompanied by rigorous transparency safeguards.
