Govt cuts 700 MHz spectrum price by 10%
The government has approved a 10 percent reduction in the price of the 700 MHz frequency band, often called the “golden spectrum” for mobile networks, as the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) prepares for an auction.
27 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Call drops, patchy internet frustrate Dhaka residents
Subscribers of all major operators report the same experience, despite the "reliable 4G" and "5G-ready" claims in telecom marketing
23 November 2025, 19:56 PM
BTRC inspection exposes gap between 4G promise and reality
A recent inspection by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has exposed deficiencies in mobile network services, highlighting a gap between operators’ claims of nationwide 4G coverage and the reality on the ground.
20 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Robi faces complaints from GP, Banglalink over Airtel branding
The two operators are demanding a formal investigation
18 November 2025, 15:28 PM
Digital payments lose ground to cash despite growth in volume: BB
While digital transactions — covering payments through mobile wallets, internet banking, and other electronic channels — grew in volume in Bangladesh in 2024, their share of total payments declined, according to the Bangladesh Payment Systems Report 2024 published by Bangladesh Bank.
17 November 2025, 18:00 PM
GSMA flags risks in draft telecom licensing rules
The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has raised concerns about Bangladesh’s draft telecom licensing guidelines, cautioning that several proposed conditions could deter investment, restrict market participation, and contradict the objectives of the Telecommunications Network and Licensing Policy (TNLP) 2025.
15 November 2025, 18:49 PM
Govt move to reserve 10 MHz for Teletalk raises concerns
The government has decided to reserve 10 MHz of the valuable 700 MHz band exclusively for state-owned Teletalk once a pending court case is resolved, raising concerns among industry experts about underutilisation and anti-competitive effects.
13 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Fix tax rates for illegal phones before NEIR launch
BTRC writes to tax authority
10 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Revenue sharing for ITC operators hiked to 3%
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has amended the licensing guidelines for international terrestrial cable (ITC) operators, raising the gross revenue sharing requirement from 1 percent to 3 percent.
19 February 2025, 18:30 PM
Revenue sharing requirement for ITC operators hiked to 3%
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has amended the licensing guidelines for international terrestrial cable (ITC) operators, raising the gross revenue sharing requirement from 1 percent to 3 percent.
19 February 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC to hold 700 MHz spectrum auction this year
The telecom regulator aims to auction spectrum in the 700 MHz band this year to support the expansion of 4G and roll out 5G networks in the country.
19 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Can Starlink’s entry be another turning point?
Two of the greatest minds in Bangladesh -- Dr Muhammad Yunus and Iqbal Quadir -- came together for an unconventional idea: providing mobile phones, then exorbitantly priced status symbols for the urban elite, to poor rural women in the mid-90s.
16 February 2025, 18:00 PM
29 IIG operators still owe Tk 205cr to BTRC
A total of 29 international internet gateway (IIG) service providers in Bangladesh still owe the country’s telecom regulator about Tk 205 crore collectively even though the monthlong window to clear their dues has long passed.
15 February 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC’s bid to regain independence
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has come up with a draft ordinance that would bring sweeping changes to the law, paving the way for the telecom regulator to win back its independence taken away by the previous regime through amendments.
6 February 2025, 18:02 PM
Govt revises down forex reserve target
The interim government has revised its aim for foreign exchange reserves, saying it expects to have $28.6 billion by June this year, capitalising on strong growth in inward remittances, exports, and budgetary support from development partners.
6 February 2025, 18:00 PM
GDP growth target may be revised down to 5.25%
The GDP growth target may be brought down to 5.25 percent in the revised budget for the current fiscal year due to the damage caused by multiple floods and the interim government’s contractionary monetary policy to contain high inflation.
5 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Feature phones dominate local handset production
Even in current smartphone age, feature phones continue to dominate local handset manufacturing as smartphone penetration struggles to gain momentum due mainly to affordability, availability and an illegal inflow of modern handsets in the country.
1 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Handset production rose 17% in 2024 but challenges persist
Handset production in Bangladesh increased by 17.17 percent year-on-year in 2024, but local assemblers faced significant challenges due to sluggish sales and the rapid expansion of the grey market.
21 January 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC tightens rules for telcos to improve services
The telecom regulator has drafted stricter quality of service (QoS) benchmarks for mobile operators to better protect users’ interests though the companies fared badly in previous metrics.
16 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Three-day mobile data packages return
The internet regulator has reinstated three-day internet packages in a move aimed at boosting internet usage and offering greater freedom of choice for customers.
12 January 2025, 19:05 PM
Killing the golden goose of internet opportunity
The previous Awami League regime, which touted its efforts to make Bangladesh digital, mirrored the poor farmer in Aesop’s fable of the golden goose when dealing with the mobile voice and internet sectors. The interim government is now replicating this flawed approach following its predecessor’s footsteps.
12 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Killing the golden goose of internet opportunity
Govt's tax hike to stifle growth and revenue
12 January 2025, 09:51 AM
Feeling the pulse of local startup ecosystem
From groceries to food and commuting, startups, founded by innovative young people, became popular brands
10 January 2025, 18:00 PM
VAT shock in the middle of the fiscal year
The National Board of Revenue went ahead with its plan to hike value-added tax and supplementary duty on goods and services despite widespread concerns that the move will stoke inflation and slow down economic activities.
9 January 2025, 21:06 PM
VAT, SD on nearly 100 items hiked despite inflation worries
NBR issues a notification moments ago
9 January 2025, 15:59 PM
Stakeholders outraged by proposed tax hike on mobile phone use
If implemented, total tax burden on mobile phone users will be around 56.3%
8 January 2025, 12:59 PM
Mobile internet users dropped by 44 lakh in November
The number of mobile internet subscribers in Bangladesh witnessed a significant drop of 44 lakh in November, contributing to an overall decline in internet subscribers to 13.28 crore from that in October.
7 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Internet shows stark rural-urban divide
The digital divide between urban and rural Bangladesh has widened further in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with individuals using the internet in urban areas now almost double that of rural regions, according to a latest survey of the national statistical agency.
1 January 2025, 18:00 PM