The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) has issued an urgent plea to the national regulator, warning that a growing fuel and energy crisis threatens to destabilize the country’s mobile networks. In a formal letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), operators emphasized that without priority access to diesel and electricity, nationwide connectivity for over 185 million subscribers could face severe disruption.
The crisis is fueled by regional instability in the Middle East, which has triggered supply shocks and prompted the government to implement rationing measures. Because mobile networks rely heavily on petrol- and diesel-powered generators to maintain service during power outages, the current shortage at filling stations has made routine maintenance and emergency responses nearly impossible. Operators are particularly concerned about the upcoming Eid holidays, a period of peak demand where potential load shedding could lead to massive network blackouts.
AMTOB is calling for telecommunications to be treated as a high-priority “essential service,” requesting guaranteed fuel supplies for core data centers, base transceiver stations (BTS), and maintenance vehicles. Without these interventions, the association warns of long-term equipment damage, instability in digital financial transactions, and a breakdown in public safety communications across the country.
