Draft telecom policy keeps door open for monopoly
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) draft policy to reform its complex licensing regime arrives with bold promises — streamlining processes, encouraging competition, and attracting foreign investment.
14 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt’s bank borrowing target may shrink in next budget
The government is planning to significantly reduce its bank borrowing target in the upcoming fiscal year as it aims to narrow the budget deficit by scaling down the overall budget size.
13 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Starlink gets 90-day waiver to operate without local gateway
The internet regulator in Bangladesh has granted Starlink permission to supply bandwidth from outside the country for 90 days.
12 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Budget to shrink amid fiscal strain
Bangladesh’s interim government is preparing to unveil a rare contractionary budget on June 2, driven by a sharp rise in interest payment that is crowding out fiscal space and forcing spending cuts.
10 May 2025, 18:00 PM
BBS finally empowered to publish data independently
As part of policy reforms aimed at improving the credibility and accuracy of national statistics, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has been empowered to publish official data without prior government approval.
8 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Local handset production drops as grey market expands
Handset production in Bangladesh declined significantly in the first quarter of 2025 as the grey market continued to dominate the domestic market.
29 April 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC to ask Banglalink to pay at least Tk 70cr in tower sale fees
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to issue a final directive to Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd, asking the mobile operator to deposit 5.5 percent of the total value of its tower sales, along with all applicable VAT and late fees, to Summit Towers Limited within ten working days.
28 April 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC approves licence for Starlink
This is the swiftest recommendation from the BTRC for any such licence, according to a BTRC official.
27 April 2025, 18:00 PM
Basmati kachchi, biryani sought most on New Year’s Eve
Basmati kachchi and biryani were food items sought the most from the country’s top food delivery platforms on December 31 during celebrations of New Year’s Eve.
7 January 2023, 18:00 PM
Comforter-quilt market expands as lifestyle changes
Consumers in Bangladesh are increasingly switching to comforters, quilts and blankets from traditional duvets in order to stay warm throughout the chillier winter nights and amid a change in lifestyle, drawing a substantial investments and big companies to the segment.
6 January 2023, 02:00 AM
Internet subscriber base shrinks for fourth month
The internet subscriber base in Bangladesh has been on a downward curve for four months till November last year due to a sharp drop in the number of mobile internet users.
4 January 2023, 02:30 AM
Govt mulling lifting GP’s SIM sales ban
Grameenphone is poised to get the ban on its SIM sales lifted as the telecom minister yesterday expressed satisfaction about the country’s leading mobile operator’s service quality.
1 January 2023, 18:00 PM
Phones, laptops, internet turned pricier in 2022
Bangladesh’s steady embrace of digitalisation, spearheaded by a growing number of tech startups and rising software and IT service exports, has suffered a heavy blow from the imposition of new taxes this year.
27 December 2022, 02:30 AM
Is Grameenphone punished for Padma glitch?
For Bangladesh, June 25, 2022 was a momentous day. But for Grameenphone, it is panning out to be a ruinous day.
27 December 2022, 01:00 AM
When should Bangladesh bid 3G adieu?
Although many countries have already shut down 3G, the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology, or announced phase-out plans, Bangladesh is yet to set a specific deadline as a chunk of customers still use it.
23 December 2022, 02:30 AM
Pickaboo raises $1.5m from local, foreign investors
Pickaboo, a platform specialising in selling mobile, gadget and electronics, has raised $1.5 million a in pre-series A round from local and international investors.
22 December 2022, 03:00 AM
Mobile phone subscribers snap four-month decline
The number of mobile phone subscribers in Bangladesh picked up in October snapping a four-month decline thanks to the stellar performance displayed by Banglalink.
19 December 2022, 02:30 AM
Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City: PPP model binned for one segment
The government has retreated from its decision to develop a portion of Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City in Gazipur’s Kaliakoir on a public-private partnership (PPP) model due to lukewarm response from developers.
16 December 2022, 03:30 AM
MFS transactions rebound in Oct
Transactions through mobile financial services (MFS) rebounded in October following a few months of decline thanks to a rise in government disbursements, cash-out and utility bill payments.
16 December 2022, 03:00 AM
Making packaging materials: Akij Group’s Tk 1,000cr investment at risk
With the aim of catering to the growing local market and diversifying the country’s export basket, Akij Group invested more than Tk 1,000 crore in setting up a plant to produce films for packages.
15 December 2022, 02:00 AM
IT firms grapple with unskilled labour force
IT firms are struggling to find skilled tech talents and professionals despite higher demand for information technology services from local and global clients, a situation that threatens their expansion and could shatter Bangladesh’s export ambition for the sector.
9 December 2022, 02:30 AM
Summit: a major player in ICT infrastructure
When one talks about Summit Group, it should come as no surprise that the conglomerate has solidified its position in Bangladesh’s power industry while its chairman, Muhammed Aziz Khan, has been listed by Forbes as one of the richest men in Singapore.
8 December 2022, 02:30 AM
Internet users dip in October
The number of internet subscribers in Bangladesh, including those using mobile internet, fell in the three months to October while the growth in broadband connections flattened.
29 November 2022, 05:30 AM
Mobile handset sales fall further
The woes of the mobile manufacturing industry in Bangladesh continues as the slowdown in sales has persisted for the last eight months amid higher consumer prices.
28 November 2022, 03:00 AM
Private sector driving Bangladesh towards $1-tr economy
Private companies are spearheading Bangladesh’s growth with their energy and optimism, putting the economy on a path to cross the $1-trillion mark by 2040, according to a top global consulting firm.
25 November 2022, 02:00 AM
3rd submarine cable’s cost set to rise 50pc
The cost of Bangladesh’s third submarine cable project is set to increase by 52.23 per cent as double the bandwidth capacity is being availed while dollar prices are soaring.
22 November 2022, 04:00 AM
GP allowed to sell 78,000 SIMs
The telecom regulator has allowed Grameenphone to sell 78,000 SIMs to the army, police and other government and corporate customers, more than four and a half months after the operator was ordered to stop selling new SIMs.
20 November 2022, 18:00 PM
25 years of operation: GP on a roll, Robi yet to find strong footing
The entry of mobile network operators Grameenphone and Robi Axiata, which was then Aktel, in 1997 was a watershed moment for Bangladesh as the country embraced Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology, the second-generation digital cellular network used in mobile phones worldwide.
15 November 2022, 02:20 AM