BD targets top-20 position in global telecom services

Bangladesh plans to position itself among the world’s top 20 countries in telecom and technology services within the next five years through a holistic digital economy strategy focused on connectivity, affordable access, startup growth, electronics manufacturing and skilled human resources, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad said yesterday.

Speaking as a special guest at a seminar, he said the direct contribution of the telecom and ICT sector to GDP currently stands at 0.63 percent, while considering the broader ecosystem it reaches nearly 6 percent.

“Whatever the actual percentage may be, if we can work collectively, we will be able to significantly increase the contribution of this sector to GDP,” he said, adding that the ICT and telecom sector would remain a thrust sector for the BNP-led government.

He said the government’s goal is not only to remain among the world’s top countries in terms of mobile subscribers but also to bring service quality to the top level globally.

Telecom and Technology Reporters’ Network (TRNB) organized the seminar titled “Telecom Future: New Government’s Vision” in a city hotel.

Rehan Asif Asad said the effective tax rate for mobile operators in Bangladesh currently ranges between 51 percent and 56 percent, while the global average is around 22 percent.

He said Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio stands at 6.5 percent according to the World Bank Spring Summit, which is among the lowest in the world, making it difficult to maintain balance despite the telecom sector.

“It is highly difficult for government to reduce taxes in this situation . . . We can’t solve all the problems in the next budget, we will make tangible progress and solve those step by step,” he said, adding that multiple meetings had already been held regarding budget and tax rates.

“We will make those changes what is possible for us,” he said, adding, “Our key point, when it comes to tax, better, international competitiveness, we want to be one of the best country in the world, which invite the foreign direct investment.”

The adviser said attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) remains one of the government’s major priorities, noting that Bangladesh’s FDI-to-GDP ratio is 0.34 percent compared to 4.63 percent in Vietnam.

He said predictability in VAT, tax, customs duty and related policies for at least five years is essential for business planning in the telecom and IT sectors.

On connectivity, the adviser said affordability of devices is the key factor for expansion of 4G and 5G services.

He stressed the importance of mobile manufacturing and said countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China are moving towards smartphone manufacturing and operator-based smartphone networks.

Rehan Asif Asad said the government’s priority regarding spectrum is no longer only revenue generation, but also creating an ecosystem, building a value chain and ensuring overall economic development.

He also highlighted the importance of AI, cyber security, data centres, CDN, POP and connectivity infrastructure, saying Bangladesh must have its own data centres and connectivity as a sovereign nation.

The adviser said the government would encourage young innovators and entrepreneurs through startup funds and support mechanisms, while efforts would be made to build a complete startup value chain with support from the ICT ministry and private sector stakeholders.

He expressed optimism that Bangladesh could emerge as one of the world’s leading manufacturing hubs and said the ICT sector could become one of the world’s top sectors alongside the country’s goal of becoming a one trillion-dollar economy.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (Retd) Emdad Ul Bari spoke as the main discussant. He said the telecom regulator wants to build a subscriber-centric industry through balanced policies, transparent regulation and a diversified connectivity ecosystem comprising fibre, wireless cellular mobile and satellite services.

He said the government has already sought a proposal for preparing a National Connectivity Master Plan involving industry and academia, adding that a committee and roadmap are expected to be formed before Eid, while work may begin after Eid.
BTRC Chairman said the regulator wants to maintain a balance among the three major stakeholders of the telecom sector – subscribers, telecom businesses and the government or regulator.
“Even if we equally emphasise all three stakeholders, my starting point would be subscribers,” he said, adding that businesses would be supported for ensuring services to subscribers.
The BTRC chairman said the regulator wants service delivery to remain technology-agnostic so that subscribers receive all services regardless of delivery systems.
He said the government’s vision, followed by clear strategy, policy and implementation plans on connectivity, access, digital services, digital payment systems, data governance and security-based trust building, would be highly useful for regulators.
Emdad Ul Bari said the telecom sector’s core functions are connectivity and access, while digital services would become the “lifeline” of the digital economy.
Referring to spectrum management, he said BTRC published its first spectrum roadmap in late 2024 for both local operators and international investors.
According to the roadmap, 700 MHz spectrum auction was scheduled for 2025, while 3.5 GHz spectrum for 5G has been planned for 2027 and 2028, he added.
He said the 700 MHz auction, held in early 2026, was open to all operators and no participant was barred from joining.
On concerns over monopoly and duopoly, he said the new licensing regime does not allow such opportunities, although “natural oligopoly” may emerge in heavy capex-dependent segments of the telecom industry.
The BTRC chief also stressed data-driven decision making, transparency and extensive use of regulatory sandbox provisions introduced under the new telecom act.
He urged the media to maintain objective reporting, saying incomplete information could affect policy decisions and harm the industry.
Barrister Shahed Alam, Head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Robi presented the keynote paper titled “Shaping the Next Era of Telecom: Bangladesh Perspective.”
With TRNB President Samir Kumar Day in the chiar, General Secretary Masuduzzaman Robin delivered welcome address.