BTRC Eases Regulations for Mobile Towers in Border Areas
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has relaxed its policy for installing mobile operator towers in border areas. Under the updated guidelines, telecom service providers will no longer need to seek permission from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), or the National Security Intelligence (NSI). Instead, approvals will now be obtained solely from BTRC.
On Sunday, BTRC issued the “Guidelines on BTS (Mobile Tower) Installation in Bangladesh’s International Border Areas, 2025,” aimed at streamlining the process to enhance telecommunication services.
The new guidelines have simplified and expedited the approval process outlined in the 2021 directive. Previously, the installation of towers within three to eight kilometers of the border required prior requests to the DGFI. Now, applications will only be submitted to BTRC. Once approval is granted, the DGFI and NSI will be notified for installations within zero to three kilometers and three to eight kilometers of the border.
Under the earlier policy, mobile tower installation in border areas—except for Cox’s Bazar and the three hill districts—required applications to security agencies, which had a 45-day window to respond with approvals or objections. If no response was received, service providers could proceed after a further 15-day waiting period. The new guidelines have removed these stipulations but maintain the requirement for Armed Forces Division (AFD) approval for installations within zero to three kilometers in the districts of Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, and Cox’s Bazar. If the AFD does not respond within 45 days, the absence of objection will be considered as approval.
As per the updated policy, if security agencies raise objections or provide directives regarding installations in border areas, appropriate action will be taken as per the Cellular Mobile Operator Licensing Guidelines.
Welcoming the new rules, Banglalink’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Taimur Rahman said, “Simplifying the regulations will allow for more mobile towers in border areas, ending network deprivation for residents. Many Bangladeshis near the border rely on Indian SIM cards due to poor network coverage. With more towers in these areas, people will likely switch to domestic SIM cards, reducing the use of Indian ones within Bangladesh.”
However, Robi Axiata’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam expressed mixed reactions. While he welcomed the move, he noted that some expectations remained unmet. “Without determining technical parameters like TA values, the guidelines may not fully address customer-centric concerns. Additionally, a unified policy for tower installation across all districts, including Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, and Cox’s Bazar, would have been more logical,” he said.
Shahed Alam also pointed out that the guidelines do not distinguish between border areas and regular regions in neighboring countries. As a result, installing BTS towers in border areas does not require special permissions, nor are there specific measures for controlling signals from towers near the border.
