Staff Reporter :
Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Founder and Managing Director of BuildCon Consultancies, said the telecom regulation in the country is hindered by overlapping responsibilities between the Telecom Ministry, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and the Department of Telecommunications (DOT).
“This creates inefficiencies and slows down progress,” he said, suggesting that the interim government merge BTRC with DOT.
He said this in a discussion titled “BTRC’s Empowerment, Amendment of the Telecommunication Act, and Present Situation” at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital organized the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers’ Association (BMPCA).
There experts emphasised the need to overhaul the country’s telecommunications industry through proper regulatory reforms to achieve meaningful progress in the changed Bangladesh. They made these suggestions during a discussion meeting in the capital on Saturday, calling for a pro-people regulatory environment to extend the benefits of internet and other telecommunication-based services to every corner of the country.
“The interim government must streamline regulatory roles by merging DOT with BTRC, enabling BTRC to both regulate and formulate policy, while the Ministry provides overarching guidance,” he said.
Mahtab Uddin, who is also the CEO of mobile phone operator Robi, stated, “Meaningful progress in the telecom sector will remain elusive without proper reform.”
He added that Bangladesh’s telecom sector is held back by monopolistic control, outdated policies, and regulatory inefficiencies. “If the country truly wants to achieve ‘Smart Bangladesh,’ it’s time to prioritize national interests, remove political cronyism, and create a competitive environment that fosters innovation, growth, and digital inclusivity for all,” he emphasized.
Mahtab Uddin Ahmed also presented a new three-tier licensing model to address the evolving needs of the telecom industry. The model aims to streamline services, improve quality, and align Bangladesh with regional best practices.
He suggested that end-user access to telecom networks for voice and data, including Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), should be introduced initially.
He also proposed an Infrastructure Service layer that would cover towers, fiber, and submarine cable services, offering transmission support to MNOs, ISPs, and MVNOs.
Additionally, he advocated for services and content that would focus on delivering digital services beyond traditional telecom offerings, enhancing customer experiences.
“This model would optimize Bangladesh’s 2,900+ licenses across 29 categories,” added Mahtab.
Mustafa Mahmud Hussain, a telecom policy analyst, also advocated for effective telecom regulation and encouraged content creators to develop educational content.
ISPAB President Emdadul Hoque emphasized the importance of BTRC’s full independence. He said, “If BTRC had independent authority, it wouldn’t have issued licenses based on political considerations.”
“We wouldn’t get an appropriate policy until BTRC has the authority to issue and revoke licenses, as well as full monitoring access,” he continued, adding that BTRC should function as an independent commission for the betterment of the industry.
Regarding the reassessment of different license layers, the ISPAB President recommended discussions with stakeholders to avoid disorder, as many licenses have already been issued for various tasks.
BMPCA President Mohiuddin Ahmed suggested that both the telecom regulator and the government bring different operators under accountability, as many are not complying with the Quality of Service (QoS) standards.