Nationwide Free Airport WiFi Launched

Bangladesh is observing the 57th World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on Sunday, May 17, alongside 193 member states across the world under the slogan, “Digital Lifelines: Strengthening Resilience in a Connected World.” While the country’s Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and telecom regulator Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) organize the observance every year, this year the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has also joined the celebration.

According to officials, all airports across the country are set to be connected to high-speed free WiFi internet services on the occasion of the day. To mark the event, the service will be officially inaugurated at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday afternoon by Posts, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam. Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad and Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam are also expected to attend the event.

The government says the free internet initiative will play an important role in reducing inequality in technology usage and narrowing the “digital divide.” Arriving passengers at airports will be able to connect to the internet immediately without requiring a mobile SIM card and communicate easily with family members and relatives.

World Telecommunication Day traces its origins to May 17, 1865, when the International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris, leading to the formation of the International Telegraph Union, which later evolved into the current International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Since 1969, the ITU has observed the day internationally, and it is now regarded as a key milestone in showcasing technology-driven development worldwide.

The first World Telecommunication Day was officially celebrated in 1969, marking the 104th anniversary of the ITU’s establishment in 1865. Later, the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society was held in Geneva, Switzerland in 2003, followed by the second phase in Tunis, Tunisia in 2005. The objective of the international summit was to build an inclusive information society through information and communication technologies.

Historical records also show that on May 17, 2006, the United Nations General Assembly declared the date as World Information Society Day. Later that same year, in November 2006, a decision was taken in Antalya, Türkiye, to merge World Telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day into a single observance titled World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The observance is formally recognized by the ITU’s 193 member states.

Experts say technologies such as the internet, mobile networks, 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have not only transformed communication systems but also brought unprecedented changes to agriculture, healthcare, education, and commerce. As a result, these technologies have simplified daily life and contributed significantly toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by reducing global inequality and limitations.

They also note that for developing countries, digital innovation is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Through AI and automation, public service delivery is becoming easier, while education, healthcare, and financial services are increasingly reaching vulnerable populations. Organizations such as the World Bank, International Telecommunication Union, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) say that the proper use of innovation and technology is making poverty reduction, gender equality, quality education, healthcare, and transparent governance more achievable.

Earlier, on March 13, free WiFi services were experimentally launched on several popular and VIP intercity trains in collaboration with Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL).

DBTech/SI/EK/OR