The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has resumed accepting applications for new internet service provider (ISP) licences in specific areas.
According to a new circular issued on Wednesday, new applicants can apply through the Licence Issuance and Management System (LIMS).
The new licences will only be valid for new districts and thanas, where ISP services are currently unavailable.
The BTRC issues licences in four categories: nationwide, divisional, district-wise and thana-wise. New nationwide licences have been suspended for some time.
The telecom regulator previously suspended issuing new licences from March 1 this year to develop new guidelines.
Emdadul Haque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said the government decided in early 2022 to stop issuing new ISP licences to prevent oversaturation in specific areas.
"However, ISPs requested the option to apply for licences in specific locations where internet services are not yet available," he told The Financial Express.
"We welcomed the government's move at that time [2022], but there should be an option to get licences to provide internet service where it is not available yet, such as in hilly areas and remote islands."
Mr Haque added that the new guidelines address these issues and only applications for licences in new areas will be accepted as per the regulations. Around 2,000 companies are currently listed in the ISPAB database.
The BTRC has cancelled the licences of several hundred ISPs in the past two years for non-compliance.
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