Telecom services under threat amid fuel crisis

The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh has warned of potential disruptions to telecommunication services due to the ongoing fuel crisis across the country, urging the government to provide emergency support.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the organization called for immediate measures to ensure priority fuel supply to critical telecom installations and uninterrupted electricity.

The association said a prolonged fuel crisis could severely damage the country’s telecom network, with cascading effects on the digital economy, government services, banking, mobile financial transactions, online commerce, and app-based transport services. It noted that fuel shortages affecting network operations are already evident at the field level.

It further warned that disruptions in fuel supply make it difficult to keep generators operational during power outages or load shedding.

The body therefore called for a coordinated support framework, including priority fuel allocation for BTS sites, data centers, and other key installations, dedicated fuel reserves for maintenance, reduced load shedding, and swift power restoration following natural disasters.

Bangladesh currently has around 45,000 telecom towers and network infrastructure serving more than 185 million people.

The association emphasized that telecom infrastructure is critical to the country’s economy, public safety, and digital services, cautioning that any service disruption without urgent intervention would negatively impact the broader digital economy.