The government is preparing a major overhaul of Bangladesh’s telecom sector as the country continues to rank among the worst globally in both mobile and broadband internet quality despite having a large subscriber base, said Rehan Asad, adviser to the Prime Minister on Telecom and ICT.
He confirmed the information on Saturday while speaking at a seminar titled “New Telecom Policy: Expectations of Entrepreneurs,” organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB).
Rehan Asad said the government considers improved connectivity the central solution to long-standing structural problems in the sector.
He stressed that both mobile and broadband services are equally important and must be developed together.
“Nothing is more important than connectivity for this government,” he said, adding that Bangladesh must improve both types of services simultaneously.
He noted that although Bangladesh is among the top 10 countries in mobile subscriptions, service quality remains extremely poor. “We are in the top 10 in terms of users, but in quality we are around 90 to 100 globally. Even Nepal and Bhutan are ahead of us in South Asia,” he said.
He added that broadband performance is even worse, with Bangladesh ranked 141st out of 153 countries in terms of quality, citing global reports from GSMA and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Referring to real-life experiences, he said poor connectivity remains a daily challenge for users, especially in rural areas.
To address the situation, the government plans to rapidly expand telecom infrastructure. The adviser said the goal is to bring 90 per cent of the population under 5G coverage and ensure internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps for most users. He acknowledged the targets are ambitious but said they are necessary.
As part of broader reforms, the government is also planning a unified digital ecosystem featuring a nationwide digital identity system and digital wallet. The proposed system would link citizens with banking and mobile financial services, inspired by models such as Singapore’s Singpass and Estonia’s digital governance system. The rollout is expected within 12 to 18 months.
Another key focus is developing an AI-enabled economy. Rehan Asad said artificial intelligence would be integrated into education and industry, allowing Bangladesh to “leapfrog” decades of development gaps. He pointed to countries like Japan, South Korea and China, where AI education begins at early school levels.
He also highlighted Bangladesh’s relatively low earnings from sectors such as freelancing and BPO, despite having a large young workforce.
The adviser further pointed to telecom taxation as a major challenge. He said users currently receive only around Tk62 worth of services from a Tk100 mobile recharge, with the rest going to taxes and charges. The government plans to review the entire value chain to improve service delivery and affordability.
He noted that Bangladesh is among the top three telecom tax collectors globally, which also affects smartphone and internet affordability.
Asad said the reform process will require close cooperation between government agencies and industry stakeholders. While not all issues can be resolved immediately, he said the initiatives mark the beginning of a long-term transformation of the country’s digital and telecom landscape.
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