Telecom sector stakeholders have called for the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to be an independent commission rather than being tied to the ministry. They believe that political affiliations and favoritism toward powerful business interests must be eliminated for real reform to take place. Additionally, they emphasized the need for balanced licensing and equal opportunities for all players in the industry.
This demand was raised during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday afternoon at the BTRC’s conference hall in Agargaon, Dhaka, where the ecosystem of the telecom sector was reconsidered. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Md. Rokonuzzaman, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North South University, who stressed the importance of breaking market monopolies.
Presiding over the meeting, BTRC Chairman, retired Major General Emdadul Bari, noted that mobile services were initially introduced in Bangladesh to provide connectivity, not mobility. Infrastructure was built primarily for voice calls, but after the introduction of data services, the fear of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) haunted the industry, leading to significant challenges.
Bari further acknowledged the global shift toward data as the “lifeline” of modern connectivity, stating that it is becoming increasingly difficult to progress with the current network topology. He stressed the urgency of reforms to address these challenges. “State monopolies are giving way to private monopolies, and this requires intervention. BTRC is taking steps to ensure a level playing field,” he added.
The chairman also pointed out that the commission has become ineffective due to the introduction of government pre-approvals in 2010, which turned BTRC into a farcical commission in terms of licensing. Political considerations have dictated the licensing process, and Bari urged for immediate changes to repair past damage and ensure an ecosystem that meets industry needs.
The meeting was attended by leaders and representatives from various telecom organizations, including tech expert Suman Ahmed Sabir, Robi CEO Rajeev Sethi, former AMTOB President Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Mango Telecom CEO Mannan Khan, Banglaphone MD Amjad Hossain Khan, E.co Country Manager Sunil Isaac, Novocom MD Hasibur Rahman, IIIGAB Member Secretary retired Major Mahmud Shahed, ISPAB President Imdadul Haque, telecom expert TIM Nurul Kabir, and Brigadier General (Retd.) SM Farhad.
During the discussion, ISPAB President Imdadul Haque highlighted issues such as the lack of fair competition between ISPs and mobile operators, and the barriers in establishing CDN at the last mile. He also noted that taxes and VATs at various stages make it difficult to reduce internet costs for grassroots consumers.
Responding to journalists’ questions, the BTRC Chairman admitted that licenses were previously granted based on favoritism, leading to unsustainable practices and poor service quality. “Our goal is to transform BTRC from a telecommunications regulator to a digital service provider,” Bari stated, emphasizing the need for clear, reliable laws to attract investment from global tech giants like Google and Facebook. He announced that within one or two weeks, reforms involving industry, academia, and regulatory experts would begin.
Former Robi CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed also underscored the need for BTRC reforms, emphasizing that BTRC must be empowered to make independent decisions without involvement from the Telecommunications Department and Ministry. He argued that unified licensing, a global practice, should replace current licensing barriers, and telecom towers should be constructed by independent tower companies to ensure fair tower-sharing.
The meeting concluded with stakeholders agreeing on the need for comprehensive reforms, focusing on long-term growth and sustainable infrastructure development in the telecom sector.