Govt plans telecom overhaul over worst internet performance
Bangladesh’s mobile and broadband internet services rank among the worst in the world despite a large subscriber base, and a connectivity-led reform plan is being prepared to address the challenge, Rehan Asad, the prime minister’s adviser on telecom and ICT, said today.
Speaking at a seminar titled “New Telecom Policy: Expectations of Entrepreneurs”, organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB), he said the government sees better connectivity as the key to solving long-standing structural problems in the sector.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. “Nothing is more important than connectivity for this government. And that connectivity means both mobile and broadband services. It is not either-or -- it is both,” he said.
Asad said Bangladesh is among the top 10 countries in mobile subscriptions, but service quality remains very poor.
“From a subscription point of view, we are in the top 10, but in terms of quality we are at the bottom -- around 90 to 100. Even in South Asia, Nepal and Bhutan are ahead of us,” he said.
He added that broadband services are also weak. “In broadband, we are in an equally bad or worse position -- 141st out of 153 countries in terms of service quality,” he said.
“These are not my findings. They come from global reports by GSMA and the International Telecommunication Union,” he added.
Explaining the impact on users, he referred to a comment from the discussion, saying, “When I go to my village home, I wonder if I will be able to upload anything.”
“That shows the reality of our service,” he said, calling the situation “both a collective failure and a collective opportunity.”
The adviser said the government plans to fix these problems by rapidly expanding mobile and broadband infrastructure.
“We want to connect 90 percent of the population with 5G and provide 100 Mbps internet to 90 percent of users,” he said.
Acknowledging the ambition of the target, he said, “Yes, it’s aspirational, but we want to aim for an ambitious goal.”
He said the goal is to ensure consistent internet service across both urban and rural areas, so users no longer face uncertainty in accessing basic connectivity.
The second priority is to build a unified digital ecosystem through a nationwide digital identity system.
“One citizen, one digital ID, one digital wallet,” Asad said.
He explained that each citizen will receive a digital ID linked to a digital wallet that can connect with banking and mobile financial services.
“Every citizen has the right to a digital ID and a digital wallet,” he said.
The government is studying global models such as Singapore’s Singpass and Estonia’s digital system, with plans to begin rollout within the next 12 to 18 months.
The third priority is to turn Bangladesh into an AI-enabled economy.
“We want to call it an AI-enabled Bangladesh,” he said, adding that artificial intelligence will be introduced in education and industry.
“In countries like Japan, South Korea and China, AI and robotics are taught from early school years,” he noted.
Describing AI as a major opportunity, he said, “AI is not a threat for us. It is an opportunity for Bangladesh… we can leapfrog 20-30 years of gaps.”
He added that despite a large pool of young talent, Bangladesh earns less than many peers from sectors like business process outsourcing and freelancing.
The fourth priority is reforming the telecom tax system, which Asad said places a heavy burden on both users and operators.
“When someone recharges Tk 100, they receive only Tk 62 worth of service. The remaining Tk 38 goes to the government,” he said.
The government plans to review the entire telecom value chain to improve service delivery.
“We want to examine the whole value chain so that a person can receive Tk 80 to Tk 90 worth of service,” he said.
He added that Bangladesh is the third-largest collector of telecom taxes in the world, which also affects affordability, including access to smartphones.
Asad said the reforms will require coordination between industry players and government agencies, and that discussions with stakeholders are already underway.
“It is an interconnected industry. We should respect each other and find ways to show empathy,” he said.
He added that not all problems will be solved immediately, but said the current work marks the start of a longer reform process.
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