Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Md Emdad Ul Bari on Monday said the previous government had clipped the wings of the commission to curtail its independence.
He said the BTRC had become a "farcical commission" following the telecommunication act amendment in 2010.
"There have been many irregularities and anomalies after the commission lost its independence," he said while speaking at a roundtable titled "The Importance of Nationwide Telecommunication Network for the Future of Bangladesh" and organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporter's Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) at a hotel in the capital.
Speaking as the chief guest, Bari said they were working on restoring the independence of the commission.
He also said they were discussing with the telecommunication and law ministries as well as their advisors to start a revision of the telecommunication act in order to regain the independence of the BTRC. He also expressed hope the revised act would be time-befitting and rational.
The BTRC chairman stressed that internet access should be upheld as a fundamental right and not be disrupted. He emphasised the importance of prioritising strong and inclusive digital connectivity for consumers, operators, and the government, with the BTRC serving as an impartial referee to ensure fair access, rather than focusing solely on business interests.
In his speech, Bari addressed the establishment of the National Telecommunication Transmission Networks (NTTNs) to create a distinct transmission network, noting ongoing challenges and criticisms related to its service quality.
He questioned whether the NTTNs were meeting their objectives, highlighting issues like limited Point of Presence (POP) infrastructure and insufficient Fibre to the Home (FTTH) access outside Dhaka.
Bari advocated for a sustainable and demand-oriented approach to expand the network, ensuring connectivity in underserved areas. He also proposed an asset-light model for network management, encouraging third-party involvement in managing transmission networks.
Additionally, he called for lower mobile internet tariffs and advocated for broadband as a long-term, cost-effective solution for the growing digital economy.
Bari urged stakeholders to prioritise the sustainability and affordability of internet services, mentioning a broadband policy had been submitted to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
Former TRNB president Rashed Mehedi in his keynote projected that Bangladesh's transmission network would extend over approximately 171,106 kilometres by 2024, providing internet services at the union level nationwide. His presentation emphasised the need for policies fostering affordable and accessible digital infrastructure, particularly to engage younger generations.
Fiber@Home Managing Director Moynul Haque Siddiqui said he would address questions and issues raised by mobile operators at the meeting as his company's modality was business-to-business only.
Taimur Rahman, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer at Banglalink, said mobile network operators (MNOs) should also be allowed to lay fibre optic cables and given the licence to increase fiberisation as it was very cumbersome now.
The rule that a mobile operator could not lay its own optical fibre cables existed nowhere, except for maybe just one country, he added.
BRAC University Professor Md Saimum Reza Talukder recommended revisiting the telecom policies to address infrastructure, content, and competition as well as to prevent internet shutdowns under any circumstances.
Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi Mohammed Shahedul Alam demanded removing all restrictions on all NTTNs and MNOs as well as allowing market competition for telecom operations.
Dhaka University's computer science and engineering Professor Mosaddek Hossain Kamal Tushar, Teletalk Managing Director (Additional Charge) Nurul Mabud Chowdhury, Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh Secretary General Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Zulfikar, and Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh President Md Emdadul Hoque, among others, spoke at the event.
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