BTCL to pilot MVNO as digital reform gains pace
Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has received approval to launch an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) service on an experimental basis, marking another major step in the government’s restructuring of the telecommunications sector.
The update was confirmed on Sunday by Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of ICT.
He said BTCL is now preparing for the pilot phase and expects to launch trial operations soon.
Policy shift: ‘We have unlocked all technology barriers’
Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb said major technological restrictions imposed over the years have now been lifted.
“After taking charge, we have taken the initiative to unblock all types of technologies,” he stated.
In continuation of this policy shift, several advancements have already been rolled out:
5G launched for the first time in the country
VoLTE rollout underway at scale
Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) introduced
Private 5G ecosystem under development
A spectrum auction for 700 MHz already called
He added that services such as Large Public Indoor (LPI) networks, Small Cells, Network Slicing and Hotspot Infrastructure are expected to begin soon under the new framework.
Breaking the old ecosystem: ‘Telecom was used as a toll plaza’
In a strong criticism of previous administrations, the Special Assistant said vested syndicates had turned the telecom sector into a monopoly-driven and rent-seeking structure.
“Almost all layers of mafia have taken the telecom sector hostage. Awami League used telecom connectivity as a toll plaza,” he alleged.
“We want a connectivity highway without toll collectors.”
He said reforms are ensuring open fiber access and infrastructure sharing so that no single entity can block or profit disproportionately from national connectivity.
From connectivity to digital services
Faiz Tayyeb emphasised that Bangladesh must shift from a bandwidth-selling telecom model to a service-driven digital economy.
He said the lack of telecom innovation had slowed progress in:
EdTech
FinTech
AgroTech
GovTech
OTT and creative digital content
HealthTech
Startup and R&D ecosystem
“The market is still Mbps and GB-centric. There should have been student packages, professional packages, gaming, IoT and computing packages. Instead, innovation was held back.”
New telecom roadmap: Policy 2025
The government has formulated the Telecommunications Network and Licensing Policy 2025, which aims to shift telecom operators into digital service providers.
Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb said the goal is to reverse what he called an “innovation-less bonsai structure” created over the past decade.
“The industry will now migrate toward service-centric operations,” he said.
Data rights and regulation introduced
To support the transformation, the government has enacted:
Personal Data Protection Ordinance 2025
National Data Governance Ordinance 2025
The laws aim to ensure responsible data management, privacy protection, and accountability across digital services.
Next milestone: Digital public infrastructure
The long-term reform plan includes:
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
National API Exchange
Sectoral Interoperability Exchange
A unified Electronic Identity Layer
These will form the backbone of a connected digital governance and service delivery system.
‘A transformational journey begins’
Concluding his statement, Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb said the reform agenda is designed to dismantle corruption, restore fair access, and create a future-ready digital ecosystem.
“We are building a service-based digital ecosystem by breaking corruption and stagnation,” he said.
“In the long run, the country’s people and economy will benefit.”
The MVNO approval marks the first operational outcome under the new policy shift. Further rollouts are expected in phases.