Telecom Licensing Policy published as gazette

Telecommunication Network and Licensing Policy 2025, has been published as a gazette. Under this rule, more than 3,000 previously issued legal and illegal licences came under review.

The newly released guideline involving fee, charge and revenue-sharing is a draft and will be finalised after consultations with stakeholders and economists. The government has assured that internet prices will not increase under the updated policy, said a notification.

The notification signed by Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology's PRO Muhammad Jasim Uddin, stated that internet prices will not increase under the updated policy.

According to the notification, the previous licensing system, failed to expand access to internet, devices or fibre connectivity. Fibre links are still scarce across homes, businesses and industries, while only 22 percent of mobile towers are currently connected to fibre.

'As a result, Bangladesh's per capita data usage is one-fiftieth that of India. The sector must shift from connection-based services to digital service-based offerings.'

Although mobile and ISP packages have increased, the country has yet to see strong growth in digital products such as EdTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech or logistics technology, it added.

'Operators including ISPs, mobile carriers, NTTNs and IIGs, have not adopted secure or quality-of-service-based systems and many still lack adequate security measures.'

It further said, to accelerate digital economic growth, the government has abolished 26 categories of licences and replaced them with a simplified four-tier structure.

'The streamlined system is designed to eliminate intermediaries, prevent monopolistic practices, boost competition without reducing government revenue.'