For the first time, Mohammad Nahid Islam, Advisor on Telecom, ICT, and Information Broadcasting, came tis office at the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission). During a meeting, BTRC officials demanded the restoration of the commission’s independence as outlined in the Telecommunications Regulatory Act. The advisor reassured them of the government’s commitment to implementing comprehensive reforms in the country.
On Sunday, Nahid Islam met the new chairman, commissioners, and general staff at the BTRC office in Agargaon, Dhaka. He held two rounds of meetings during this time. Initially, he met with the new chairman, Major General (Retd.) Md. Emdadul Bari, and Commissioner Mahmud Hossain, along with other officials in the chairman’s office. In the second round, he addressed a general assembly in the conference room on the second floor.
In his remarks, the advisor urged officials to work transparently and steadfastly alongside the government for national reform. Nahid Islam stated, “The main actors of the July mass uprising are the people of this country and the common students. It is their movement that has allowed me to be here today. It is the common people who have taken to the streets and gifted us a new Bangladesh. I pay deep tribute to the people and to those who were martyred and harmed during the movement. We all know that for the past 16 years, we have been under an authoritarian regime, from which no sector or segment of society has been spared. There have been numerous unresolved issues at the BTRC over the past 16 years, and reports of corruption abound. There is little to say specifically about the BTRC, as the entire state system is experiencing similar challenges. We want to rise from this situation.”
The advisor stated that through this movement, we have achieved a new Bangladesh, creating aspirations among the people across the country. There is a growing belief that we can now build a new Bangladesh. The fundamental issue facing our country is that institutions have not been properly established. An institutional system has not developed. If institutions were properly established, it would not have been possible for any individual to impose anything upon them. Since independence, power has been concentrated in the hands of individuals in our country. The practice has been to destroy institutions in order to exercise personal power. If we cannot reform the policies and laws of this individual-centric structure, the profound changes we envision will never occur.
Regarding the BTRC, the advisor mentioned that during the movement, the internet was shut down, leading to acts of genocide, and many people were disappeared without a trace, information about which is still elusive. He shared that he himself was a victim of enforced disappearance, but ironically, today he stands as the advisor responsible for that very institution.
Nahid Islam expressed, “We must not look back, and I believe Bangladesh will not look back. We see that the younger generation desires a new Bangladesh and changes in the state system, which many are unwilling to accept. Therefore, I urge everyone to change their mindset and work towards realizing the aspirations of the people.” He further remarked that there is a growing aspiration among the people that no one can step outside of it anymore.
Sources from the meeting revealed that during the event, the BTRC chairman, one commissioner, and a general staff member each delivered remarks.
