PM's Adviser Proposes AI-Bundled Telecom Packages

Mobile network modernizations must be coupled with affordable smartphones and artificial intelligence integration to prepare the next generation for global tech competition. Prime Minister's ICT and Telecom Adviser Rehan Asif Asad emphasized this on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) during an event marking Robi Axiata's network modernization in Dhaka at its corporate headquarters in Tejgaon.

Rehan Asif Asad stated that sustainable telecom development requires close collaboration between the government, regulators, and mobile operators. Managing nearly 5,000 network sites, complex spectrum, and backhaul across Dhaka—an area representing 4 percent of the nation's landmass but vital to the economy—is critical, positioning Robi's data leadership at the forefront of connectivity.

Addressing device limitations, he expressed concern that nearly 50 percent of the nation's 140 million mobile subscribers (around 70 million people) remain constrained to feature phones. To address this, raw material import tariffs for domestic mobile manufacturing were slashed from 26–33 percent down to 0–5 percent. Consequently, local manufacturers are preparing to deliver USD 50–60 Android smartphones priced between BDT 3,000 and 5,000, supported by Bangladesh Bank’s new directive facilitating EMI and installment facilities for mobile devices.

Highlighting youth potential from recent AI Olympiad medalists building tech startups, he urged operators to replicate models from South Korea, Japan, and China by bundling generative AI tokens (such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini) into standard data bundles instead of offering raw gigabytes alone.

The event was attended by Postal, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md. Emdad Ul Bari, Robi MD and CEO Ziad Shatara, along with top corporate executives.

//DBTech/NAP/MIS//