The government has ruled out any possibility of reverting to the previous telecom licensing regime

The government has dismissed any possibility of returning to the previous telecom licensing model, describing it as ineffective and a constraint on sectoral growth.

A new framework, outlined in the Telecommunication Network and Licensing Policy 2025 and now published as a gazette, will bring more than 3,000 previously issued legal and illegal licences under review.

The accompanying guideline on fees, charges and revenue-sharing has been released as a draft and will be finalised after consultations with stakeholders and economists. Officials have also assured that internet prices will not rise under the updated system.

According to the government, the old licensing structure failed to expand access to internet services, devices or fibre connectivity. Fibre coverage remains limited across homes, businesses and industries, and only 22 percent of mobile towers are currently connected to fibre.

Consequently, Bangladesh’s per capita data consumption is just one-fiftieth of India’s. The sector, officials said, must now transition from connection-based services to digital service–driven offerings.

While mobile and ISP packages have grown, digital product segments such as EdTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech and logistics technology have yet to see strong expansion.

Operators — including ISPs, mobile carriers, NTTNs and IIGs — have also lagged in adopting secure or quality-of-service–based systems, with many still lacking adequate security protocols.

To spur growth in the digital economy, the government has scrapped 26 categories of licences and introduced a simplified four-tier structure.

This streamlined model aims to remove intermediaries, curb monopolistic tendencies, foster competition and do so without reducing government revenue.