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
New census points to digital divide
About three crore people of Bangladesh, aged 18 or above, don’t own a mobile phone and 6.5 crore don’t use internet, according to the new population census, highlighting the non-affordability of connecting devices and elusive digital inclusion for many.
31 July 2022, 02:15 AM
Robi, Banglalink see customer growth in June
Mobile network providers Robi Axiata and Banglalink gained clients in June while Grameenphone, the industry’s top operator, saw a slight drop in its customer base.
26 July 2022, 03:00 AM
IT exports shoot up 52% in July-April
Information technology (IT) exports from Bangladesh are snowballing as global clients have swamped local IT companies with orders for various software, data processing and other digital service solutions.
25 July 2022, 03:30 AM
HungryNaki scales down operations
HungryNaki, Alibaba’s food delivery affiliate in Bangladesh, has scaled down operations by half and laid off a majority of its employees.
24 July 2022, 02:45 AM
E-commerce Scams: Year passes, few get redress
Over a year has passed since government agencies cracked down on several e-commerce platforms for not providing refunds or delivering products of thousands of customers after luring them with hefty discounts.
19 July 2022, 02:45 AM
Many digital services exist just in name
People are not getting the maximum benefit from the 761 services the government have digitalised for slow servers and poor internet speed, according to a government evaluation.
14 July 2022, 02:00 AM
286 ISPs to be disconnected
The telecom regulator has recently directed International Internet Gateway (IIG) service providers to disconnect bandwidth connections of 286 internet service providers (ISP) for not converting their licences in accordance with guidelines.
7 July 2022, 04:00 AM
Middle, lower-middle income families staring at a grim Eid
It is not any other Eid for many middle and lower-middle income families. They are cutting down expenses for the festival in the face of spiralling living costs.
7 July 2022, 02:00 AM
SMS alert proving beneficial
A large number of households now receive warnings via SMS before a disaster, found a survey.
6 July 2022, 18:00 PM
Locally made AI chatbot pulls global clients
Local technology company Reve Chat is now facilitating access to information for citizens of Mexico while protecting their personal data with its AI-enabled chatbot, underscoring the Bangladesh tech industry’s growing clout in the global markets.
5 July 2022, 04:00 AM
$3.2m to raise capacity of undersea cable
Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd (BSCCL), the state-run bandwidth importer, is going to spend $3.2 million to upgrade the capacity of its first undersea cable by more than four times.
4 July 2022, 03:30 AM
NID sufficient for securing digital business ID
People can no longer operate e-commerce businesses in the country without having a digital business identification (DBID) number, which can be availed even without a trade license given that the entity has an official website or social media page, according to new guidelines in this regard.
30 June 2022, 18:00 PM
3cr people in Bangladesh still unbanked: WB
Despite its push for financial inclusion, Bangladesh has remained one of the top seven countries with a sizeable part of the population unbanked, according to a Work Bank survey.
30 June 2022, 02:30 AM
GP barred from selling SIM cards
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission yesterday banned Grameenphone from selling new SIM cards for what it said was the operator’s failure to provide quality service.
29 June 2022, 18:00 PM
Six cattle markets to accept digital payments
People in Bangladesh are yet to make a habit of buying cattle online for Eid-ul-Azha as trips to the market, where they can choose and haggle over their preferred animal, are a part of the festivities.
29 June 2022, 05:30 AM
Padma Bridge to ensure faster internet
Internet users in Dhaka are set to get faster bandwidth thanks to Padma Bridge as the Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has laid fibre-optic cables on its lower deck to reduce the time taken for data to travel between the capital and submarine cable landing station in Kuakata.
28 June 2022, 05:00 AM
Invest in small business for big impact
The Covid-19 pandemic came as a devastating blow for Khawja Waseem, who owns a medium-sized enterprise called SS Jute Shoe Thread and Accessories that produces and retails jute goods in Gazipur.
26 June 2022, 18:00 PM
Padma Bridge to reduce industry, tech gaps in south
Padma Bridge will not only increase connectivity in Bangladesh, but also revolutionise the industrial landscape in southern parts of the country by creating new business avenue of opportunities, according to various entrepreneurs.
26 June 2022, 03:00 AM
Padma Bridge: A display of local industries’ prowess
While the construction of the Padma Bridge with the country’s own fund has buoyed the nation’s confidence, the longest bridge in Bangladesh has also given an opportunity to local industries to demonstrate their prowess to both local and global audiences that they can make quality materials.
24 June 2022, 03:00 AM
Now laptops to be more expensive
Laptop users in Bangladesh are set for a bigger hit as the imposition of a 15 per cent value-added tax at the import stage of the essential digital device would lift the prices further.
22 June 2022, 02:30 AM