BTRC Issues Show-Cause Notices To Four Deputy Directors

Citing breach of institutional discipline and engagement in activities contrary to organizational interests, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has served formal show-cause notices on four of its Deputy Directors. The regulatory body issued four separate letters on Sunday, 11 October 2026, directing the officials to submit written explanations within seven working days. The commission warned that failure to respond within the stipulated deadline would be construed as having no defense, initiating subsequent administrative actions under service rules.

The officials served with notices are BTRC Deputy Directors Sanjib Kumar Singha, S. M. Afzal Reza, Md. Zakir Hossain Khan, and Kazi  Md Ahsanul Habib. According to the letters, intelligence gathered from various sources indicated that the officers engaged with colleagues and external individuals during and after office hours in actions subversive to standard commission operations and institutional interests. The notices stated that such conduct falls under the disciplinary provisions of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (Employees) Service Regulations 2022 and the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 2018.

Conversely, the accused officials maintain that the disciplinary proceedings constitute administrative harassment stemming from their legal opposition to internal promotion irregularities. Earlier this year, BTRC initiated promotions for several officers facing audit objections. Six deputy directors subsequently challenged the process by filing a writ petition with the High Court in March. Following the legal challenge, writ petitioners Sanjib Kumar Singha and S. M. Afzal Reza were transferred outside Dhaka, while four others were reassigned across different internal desks. Upon challenging the punitive transfers, the High Court issued successive stay orders on 23 April and 9 June, halting the relocation orders for up to six months.

The escalation peaked on 28 September when BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Emdad Ul Bari, accompanied by the Commission's Vice Chairman and Secretary, conducted an unscheduled inspection of Sanjib Kumar Singha's office chamber, where all four officials were gathered. While the officials claimed they had assembled before lunch, the Chairman accused them of conspiring against the commission and ordered the room sealed. Records indicate that Sanjib Kumar Singha was made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) that afternoon, his chamber was sealed the following day, and the remaining three officials were transferred to separate departments prior to the issuance of the formal show-cause notices, official sources confirmed.

//DBTech/SMP/BPC/MIS//