When the Awami League-led government assumed office five years ago, development of telecom sector was one of its first priorities. The ruling party’s Vision 2021 also drew much attention when it announced the building of a “Digital Bangladesh.”
However, the government's contributions during its tenure to develop the country’s ICT and telecom sector should be evaluated.
The launch of third generation mobile broadband, more popularly known as 3G, only came out towards the end of the government's term although the auction was supposed to be held in January 2009.
The caretaker government, from which the AL-led grand alliance took office after a landslide victory in 2008, initiated the 3G efforts. However, BTRC’s subsequent dilly-dallying for 3G left the country far behind compared to others, including neighbouring India.
“We don’t know why there was a delay of five years,” said a top BTRC official.
Yet, the country witnessed a boom in mobile and internet users during these five years, taking the number of active mobile subscribers from 4.46 crore to 11.17 crore. During the period, the internet users also increased from a few lakhs to 4 crore.
Meanwhile, experts say the service has improved only vertically, not horizontally. While India and Pakistan launched their own satellites in 1980 and 1990, Bangladesh still relies upon foreign satellites.
As per the last caretaker government’s plan, the country was supposed to have its own satellite by 2013. However, the AL-led grand alliance government could not even begin the development project proposal in its five years and failed to find a financier.
After the care taker government applied for an orbital slot with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the elected AL-led government only appointed a consultation firm and could do nothing else.
Now there is no possibility of obtaining own satellite in the next couple of years although the government has plans to make it by June 2016, official sources said.
Launching of Bangladesh's own satellite is a part of the government’s ICT Policy 2009, which will cost more than Tk3,000 crore.
“Except for the appointment of consultation firm and changing the name to ‘Bangabandhu Satellite’, the government could do nothing else in five years,” said a high official of BTRC.
However, the government made substantial progress in connecting the country to a second submarine cable, SEA-ME-WE 5. This is expected to be launched by January 2015, according to officials.
Meanwhile, providing a Wi-max licence to Bangladesh Internet Exchange Ltd (BIEL) raised controversies, as the operator was given a mobile spectrum instead of a Wi-max spectrum. BTRC is facing a law-suit in this regard.
The licence was given with a 20 megahertz mobile spectrum at Tk246 crore, although the market price is nearly Tk3,500 crore.
Recently, Telecom Minister Rashed Khan Menon claimed that AL-led grand alliance government gave first licence to Wi-max operators. However, the fact remains that the last caretaker government held Wi-max auction on September 24, 2008 and gave licence to Banglalion and Qubee.
The government awarded gateway licences to 85 operators, while most of licencees were politically linked with the ruling party.
Seven of them recently closed their operation without paying Tk600 crore to the telecom regulator BTRC which now goes to file legal suits.
“Many opportunities have been lost to build a digital Bangladesh,” said Abu Saeed Khan, a senior policy fellow of the Colombo-based regulatory think tank LIRNEasia and a former secretary of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob).
“Mobile service has improved vertically, not horizontally.”
He criticised the government when it changed the land’s telecom law in the name of amendment and made BTRC almost powerless.
“The government captured many regulatory powers and made the commission a weak body.”
However, the government reduced internet bandwidth prices, although it still remains much higher than many western countries. Abu Saeed said the government cancelled five private land phone licences in its tenure and could not control illegal international call terminations. It also awarded 885 VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) licences even though there was a shortage of space for that business.
