Questions have emerged over the recruitment practices of Robi Axiata PLC after the country's second-largest mobile network operator advertised for several of its highest executive positions using a little-known website and an email domain that appear to have no formal linkage with the company's officially registered corporate identity.
Robi used the email address "recruitment@axiatabd.com" in recruitment advertisements for the posts of chief human resources officer (CHRO), chief executive officer (CEO), and chief information officer (CIO), published in national newspapers between December 2024 and January 2026.
The advertisements sought applications for the CHRO position in December 2024, the CEO position in May 2025 and the CIO position in January 2026.
Instead of directing applicants to Robi's officially registered corporate domain, "robi.com.bd", the notices instructed candidates to submit applications through the unfamiliar "axiatabd.com" platform.
A visit to the website showed only a placeholder page displaying the message "launching soon", alongside the misspelled text "AXIA TAB".
Domain registration records reviewed by The Financial Express indicate that the domain was created only days before the first recruitment notice for the CHRO role appeared in late 2024.
The development has raised questions about corporate governance, transparency, and data security practices at the listed telecom operator, particularly because Robi is publicly traded on both the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges and is subject to regulatory disclosure obligations under the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC).
A publicly listed company in Bangladesh cannot legally or practically use a random web domain for its official corporate presence and official communications.
Under the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Corporate Governance Code 2018, every listed company must maintain a functional official website from the date of listing.
The website must also be directly linked with the official platforms of the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges, making the use of unverified or constantly changing domains a potential compliance concern.
Listed companies are legally required to publish key disclosures on their official websites, including quarterly financial statements, annual reports, shareholding information, price sensitive disclosures, and corporate governance compliance certificates.
Robi has historically used established corporate channels for high-level recruitment, including LinkedIn and its official email infrastructure under the "robi.com.bd" domain.
Previous recruitment documentation reviewed by The Financial Express showed that the company earlier used addresses such as "career@robi.com.bd" for executive hiring processes.
Officials at both the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms told The Financial Express that they had no record of any application by Robi to change its official corporate name or registered website domain.
The "axiatabd.com" website lists two individuals as company contacts - Ashique Ibni Aziz and Mohammad Tasleem Bashar.
Both are employees of Robi Axiata. However, when contacted separately, they both denied any knowledge of the website or involvement with its operations.
Ashique Ibni Aziz, a telecommunications professional currently serving as the manager of packet core network planning at Robi, said he had no idea how his name or contact details appeared on the site.
"I am not involved in and aware of this," he told The Financial Express in a WhatsApp message.
He added that his responsibilities within Robi had no connection with company domain procurement or recruitment administration.
The case involving Mohammad Tasleem Bashar appeared more complex.
The phone number listed on the website closely resembled a contact record associated with Bashar in the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) database, although one of the initial access digits had been altered.
When The Financial Express dialled the corrected number sequence, the call reached Bashar, who identified himself as a project manager at Robi Axiata.
Bashar also denied having any knowledge of the website or any role in its activities.
After brief conversations, both employees referred all further queries to Robi's corporate communications department.
The Financial Express subsequently sent a detailed set of questions to Robi Axiata, asking why the company used an unverified and newly registered domain for recruiting its top executives instead of its officially recognised corporate domain.
The newspaper also sought clarification regarding allegations that employee identities may have been used on the website without their consent, and asked why Robi had departed from its long-standing practice of using LinkedIn and official corporate recruitment channels for senior executive appointments.
Several hours later, the company issued a brief written response.
"We have no comment on this matter," it said.
The controversy intensified recently following complaints submitted by Mohammad Maruful Alam Chowdhury, Robi's former acting CHRO, later re-designated as the chief people officer, who served in the role from July 2023 until January 2025.
According to documents reviewed by The Financial Express, Chowdhury lodged complaints with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, the BSEC, and the National Board of Revenue, alleging irregularities in the recruitment process for the CHRO position.
The complaints said that Robi bypassed transparent and competitive hiring procedures in appointing Pakistani national Shoaib Baig as the CHRO in February 2025.
Baig, the first of these appointments with a dubious website and an email address, has also drawn scrutiny because of reports concerning his previous employment history in Pakistan.
Media reports from Pakistan indicated that Baig's contract at Oil and Gas Development Company Limited was terminated in 2019 amid allegations linked to irregular recruitment procedures and competency concerns.
Further reports suggested that he later left Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited in 2024 following allegations relating to integrity and professionalism.
Following the complaints lodged by Chowdhury, BIDA reportedly granted Baig only a six-month work permit extension instead of the customary one-year term, pending further review.
The developments stand in sharp contrast to Robi's public corporate image.
Robi, which serves more than 58 million subscribers, has regularly received recognition for corporate excellence and governance standards within Bangladesh's telecommunications industry.
Its parent company, Axiata Group Berhad, operates across several Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Pakistan, and has historically promoted itself as adhering to strong governance and compliance practices.
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) recently also launched another investigation into Robi Axiata regarding potential financial irregularities.
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