BTA urges emergency status for telecom sector

FE Report | Published: April 21, 2026 22:09:07

The Bangladesh Towerco Association (BTA) has called for bringing the telecommunications sector under the ambit of emergency services and ensuring priority energy allocation, warning that persistent power shortages could disrupt connectivity and harm the national economy.
The demand was raised during recent high-level engagements with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, where the association pressed for urgent policy interventions to ensure uninterrupted telecom services.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, BTA highlighted that the country's telecom infrastructure - particularly its network of more than 45,000 towers -- remains heavily reliant on grid electricity, supported by diesel-powered generator backups.
However, the ongoing energy crisis is now directly affecting tower operations, increasing the risk of service interruptions for millions of users, it said.
Sunil Isaac, Interim President of BTA and Country Managing Director of edotco Bangladesh, said telecommunications services in Bangladesh are under significant strain due to power shortages.
He stressed that maintaining uninterrupted connectivity is essential and called for immediate steps to classify telecom infrastructure as an emergency service.
He noted that businesses, banks, IT firms and other service providers rely heavily on digital connectivity, and any disruption would lead to widespread economic losses.
He added that the association is working with relevant authorities to secure both policy support and priority energy allocation.
Describing telecommunications as a backbone of the digital economy, BTA warned that disruptions could affect financial transactions, export coordination and emergency communications.
The association urged the government to take swift and appropriate action to prevent a potential national-level crisis, cautioning that failure to act in time could result in economic damage.
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