The government has unequivocally dismissed the possibility of returning to the previous telecom licensing framework, deeming it ineffective and an impediment to the advancement of the sector.
A novel framework is being implemented in accordance with the Telecommunication Network and Licensing Policy 2025, which has now been officially published as a gazette, subjecting over 3,000 previously granted legal and illegal licences to scrutiny.
The recently published guideline concerning fees, charges, and revenue-sharing is currently in draft form and will be finalised following discussions with stakeholders and economists. The government has provided assurances that internet prices will remain stable under the revised policy framework.
The prior licensing framework did not succeed in broadening access to the internet, devices, or fibre connectivity. Fibre connections remain limited in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, with a mere 22 per cent of mobile towers presently linked to fibre infrastructure.
Consequently, the per capita data consumption in Bangladesh is merely one-fiftieth of that observed in India. The industry must transition from services predicated on connections to those grounded in digital offerings.
Despite the rise in mobile and ISP packages, the nation has not yet experienced significant advancement in digital sectors such as education technology, health technology, agricultural technology, financial technology, or logistics technology.
Entities such as ISPs, mobile carriers, NTTNs, and IIGs have yet to embrace secure or quality-of-service-orientated frameworks, and numerous among them continue to exhibit insufficient security protocols.
In a bid to expedite the advancement of the digital economy, the government has eliminated 26 categories of licences, instituting instead a streamlined four-tier framework.
The optimised framework aims to eradicate intermediaries, thwart monopolistic behaviours, and enhance competition while maintaining government revenue levels.
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