The Bangladesh government has pledged to abolish policies that enable internet shutdowns, which have caused significant hardship for freelancers and hindered investment. Senior officials announced their commitment to reducing internet service costs and improving quality through comprehensive reforms and deregulation, during a roundtable held on Saturday.
The event, titled “Internet Services: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Way Forward,” was organized by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) auditorium in Dhaka. Senior officials and industry leaders participated in the discussion.
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant, emphasized that the government must demonstrate its commitment to stopping internet shutdowns, noting that it was crucial for assuring investors. He pointed out Bangladesh’s low global rankings in internet affordability and digital governance, and outlined an ambitious roadmap to modernize the sector.
Key reforms will include the introduction of a new three-layer network topology, alongside a performance-based regulatory model. The government will begin deregulating the sector in June by removing licence limitations and instead introducing strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for service providers. Failure to meet these conditions will result in penalties. Taiyeb also stressed the need to end political influence in telecom operations.
Taiyeb criticized the high costs and poor quality of internet services in Bangladesh, despite the country paying among the highest global prices. He pointed out that critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and disaster management lack dedicated internet infrastructure. To address this, the government will change the network topology, with plans to make all telecom fibre networks in metropolitan areas fully underground within three years. He also urged for the rapid introduction of Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) to enhance indoor connectivity.
The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) president, Emdadul Hoque, announced that ISPs are now offering nationwide internet at BDT 500 with a minimum speed of 10 Mbps, doubling the previous 5 Mbps. He further stated that speeds would soon increase to 20 Mbps. ISPAB has also proposed extending licence durations to up to 10 years, enabling active infrastructure sharing, greater access to International Internet Gateways (IIGs), and a five-year exemption from profit-sharing.
Taiyeb appreciated ISPAB’s efforts but urged further improvements, saying, “If you can provide 10 Mbps at the same price, you can offer 20 Mbps too.” He urged service providers to monitor their own progress to ensure quality.
BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md. Emdadul Bari, attending as a special guest, highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration. He announced plans to revisit the “One Country, One Rate” strategy and ISP licensing categories. The commission plans to consolidate NTTN licences into a single category, with fixed broadband providers prohibited from offering wireless services, although B2B arrangements will be considered.
The event also featured discussions about the high transmission costs, pricing of bandwidth, and the need to expand service access to underserved areas. Participants called for unified efforts to make internet services more affordable, accessible, and efficient across the country.
