Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb Highlights ICT, Telecom, and Postal Reforms During Interim Tenure

During his 11-month tenure as the Interim Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb oversaw the issuance and completion of a total of 13 ordinances and policies—seven in ICT, five in telecom, and one in postal services. After completing his responsibilities, he returned to his family and shared a detailed account of his work during this busy period.

On 15 February, Sunday, through his social media handle, he outlined his sector-wise achievements, addressing critics. He emphasized that “the main source of corruption in telecom is license issuance. As the first minister/minister-in-charge in Bangladesh’s history to assume such responsibility, I did not issue any licenses, leaving no scope for corruption.”

He also noted, “Many were unhappy with the non-issuance of licenses. The full story can be written later. Speaking out could expose more than just reputations; even undergarments might fall!” He urged stakeholders to engage with his work rather than focus on controversies, saying, “Discuss and critique my work—it will benefit the country.”

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb shared the legal and policy reforms implemented in ICT and telecom, encouraging those involved in these sectors to study them actively. He highlighted that the efforts were deep and internationally standard-setting, carried out by him, his team, and half a dozen other interim government advisers.

ICT Sector Achievements:

1. Cyber Security Ordinance 2025 (Gazette published)

2. Personal Data Protection Ordinance 2025 (Gazette published)

3. Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 (Gazette published)

4. National Data Management Ordinance 2025 (Gazette published)

5. National Source Code Policy 2026 (approved in inter-ministerial meeting)

6. National AI Policy 2026 (draft published)

7. National Cloud Policy 2026 (draft published)

He explained that understanding Bangladesh’s data governance framework is crucial for university faculty and recommended studying everything from telecom surveillance frameworks to postal laws (approximately 200 pages) for a complete grasp of data governance, protection, e-commerce integration, and cybersecurity ecosystems.

Telecom Sector Achievements:
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb reformed all telecom laws, policies, and guidelines of the ruling party, introducing new performance benchmarking and engaging industry experts, especially CEOs and CTOs. Key completed initiatives include:

1. Bangladesh Telecommunication Licensing and Networking Policy 2025 (Gazette published)

2. Telecommunications (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 (Gazette published)

3. National Surveillance Process Proposal 2026 (final report by the Committee on the Collection and Use of Surveillance Technology)

4. New Guidelines for Telecom Network Licenses 2026 (approved)

5. Rollout Obligations and KPI Benchmarking 2025 (approved)

Postal Sector Achievements:

1. Postal Services Ordinance 2026 (reforming the 1898 postal law) including:

   • New address management and mapping, floating and climate adaptation

   • Digital parcel and postal tracking

   • Central logistics tracking for e-commerce transformation

He also cited two major publications issued before leaving the country:

• National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025–2030

• Posts & Telecommunications Transformation Strategy 2025–2030

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb emphasized that his work forms a foundational framework for future officials. He wrote a ‘note to successor’ outlining all reforms, ensuring continuity while recording accountability for any changes made in the ecosystem.

He concluded, “In 11 months, I have laid the foundation. Even if future changes are needed, the baseline is set. Minor adjustments may be political or administrative, but complete ecosystem reform will be challenging. My team and I have left a legacy of substantial, foundational work.”

DBTech/DHE/SI/OR