Proposed Telecom Licensing Policy: Stakeholders Warn of Foreign Control, Higher Internet Costs

Speakers at a discussion on Saturday cautioned that the proposed telecom licensing policy could marginalise local entrepreneurs, re-establish foreign dominance in the sector, and drive up internet prices.

They urged the government and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to review the draft policy through broad-based consultations, ensuring that reforms strengthen — rather than weaken — Bangladesh’s domestic telecom industry.

Entrepreneurs also announced plans to pursue legal action if the proposed policy is approved in a manner that threatens their survival, warning that it could undo two decades of progress in building local capacity in the telecommunications sector.

The warnings were voiced at a views-exchange meeting titled “How Effectively Will the New Telecom Policy Protect the Interests of Local Entrepreneurs?” organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at Hotel Holiday Inn in Dhaka.

The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including senior journalists, ICT experts, and representatives from the ISP, IGW, ICX, and transmission service sectors. Former TRNB President Rashed Mehedi chaired and moderated the session, while TRNB General Secretary Masuduzzaman Robin gave the welcome address.

ISPAB President Mohammad Aminul Hakim said local entrepreneurs’ concerns had repeatedly been conveyed to the BTRC but were ignored, as the regulator seemed intent on finalising a policy that would “benefit only three foreign mobile operators.”

“Domestic entrepreneurs have created nearly one million jobs and ensured affordable internet access across the country,” he said. “If the new policy caters only to foreign interests, internet prices could rise by at least 20 percent, depriving marginal communities of access.”

He warned that local entrepreneurs would take legal measures if the final policy contains provisions that threaten their survival.

Presenting a concept paper, Rashed Mehedi noted that the draft would raise ISP licence fees fivefold and hand foreign companies control over nearly 90 percent of the sector’s structural advantages.

ICT expert Suman Ahmed Sabir said reforming the 2008 ILDTS Policy was indeed necessary, but the current draft appeared designed to serve specific vested interests. “Globally, telecom reforms aim to empower domestic entrepreneurs and enhance cybersecurity readiness. Bangladesh, unfortunately, seems to be moving in the opposite direction,” he said.

Summit Communications CTO K. M. Tariquzzaman recalled that local entrepreneurs had helped break a monopoly and ensured affordable services. “Now, under the guise of reform, the policy risks restoring that monopoly. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Abu Nazm Tanvir Hossain pointed out that an “unprecedented number” of telecom-related laws and policies had been drafted in the past year and a half. He also cited ambiguities in the draft Telecommunication Act 2025, such as the undefined scope of “nationally significant licences” under Clause 33.

ISPAB General Secretary Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan criticised the plan to split internet services into separate categories — mobile, satellite, and others — arguing that “internet should remain a single, unified service.” However, he welcomed the government’s indication that some revisions were being considered.

Other speakers — including Fiber@Home Chief Communication Officer Abbas Farooq, Bahon Ltd COO Rashed Amin Bidyut, AOIB leader M. Nurul Alam, and IGW Operators Forum CEO Mushfiq Monzur — echoed concerns that the draft policy could destabilise the domestic telecom ecosystem.

Farooq called on local entrepreneurs to unite under a common platform to protect their interests, while Alam warned that a return to a pre-2008 monopoly-style framework would severely damage the ICT sector.

Monzur compared the situation to the 1980s pharmaceutical policy, which had empowered local manufacturers and reduced foreign dependence.

In closing, TRNB General Secretary Masuduzzaman Robin emphasised that government policy should prioritise the protection and growth of labour-intensive domestic entrepreneurship over short-term revenue collection.