The planned auction of the 700MHz spectrum has sparked renewed debate within Bangladesh’s telecom sector, with Robi Axiata raising concerns over whether the process should proceed before the upcoming national election. Robi CEO Ziad Shatara said the political transition following recent changes has created an environment of uncertainty that is not conducive to major long-term investment decisions.
Speaking to the media on December 18, Shatara noted that the proposed January auction timeline would require operators to commit significant capital amid political instability. He said investors typically seek clarity and regulatory certainty before deploying large investments, and the current situation has encouraged a more cautious stance across the sector. According to Shatara, investment conditions could improve once the election concludes and a stable, long-term government is in place.
Despite the concerns, Shatara highlighted Robi’s continued commitment to the market, citing an investment of Tk2,000 crore this year to improve service quality. However, he stressed that future investments will depend heavily on predictable and consistent regulatory policies.
Robi Axiata’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sahed Alam also raised regulatory issues, stating that recent changes to telecom licensing rules were introduced without adequately reviewing the 2018 guidelines. He said operators are required to allocate nearly one-third of their annual spending to technology development, placing additional operational pressure on the industry. Alam added that overlapping policies, frequent regulatory changes, and restrictions such as the 85% cap on foreign ownership have increased uncertainty and investment risk in the sector.
