Mahmudul Hasan

From snooping devices carried in backpacks to locate people through their phones to a massive infrastructure that can intercept even end-to-end encryption from a central command centre, the Awami League government had been on an increasingly aggressive trajectory towards building a powerful surveillance state. 

The Bangladesh Competition Commission (BCC) is investigating a complaint by Robi Axiata PLC against Grameenphone (GP), accusing the country’s largest mobile operator of abusing its dominant market position through predatory pricing and excessive subsidies.

GP denies the allegations

As Bangladesh moves towards a digital economy, it is prioritising cashless transactions.

Activities of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to chief adviser, raise concerns over conflict of interest, executive overreach and violations of procurement rules

The number of mobile subscribers in Bangladesh grew by 10 lakh in May, driven primarily by net additions from the country’s two largest operators, Grameenphone and Robi Axiata.

Local handset production dropped by over 30 percent in June compared to the previous month, with feature phones taking the biggest hit, according to official figures.

Bangladesh's BPO sector transforms as AI automates routine tasks, cuts workforce

Mobile phone operators have been instructed to notify users in advance via SMS

The government has decided to establish a national “fibre optic bank”, which will bring all unused fibre optic resources from state-owned entities under a single platform in a bid to accelerate digital transformation.

Leading foreign investors in Bangladesh’s telecommunications sector have urged the government to reconsider proposed restrictions on foreign ownership in the upcoming Telecommunications Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025.

The telecom regulator has decided to permit the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Bangladesh Railway to extend their optical fibre networks beyond their respective grid lines and railway tracks in a bid to improve internet connectivity across the country.

Early users of Starlink, the satellite internet service recently launched in Bangladesh, have expressed satisfaction over its high-speed and stable connection.

For the first time, the World Bank, which traditionally provides development project loans and budgetary support, has extended its assistance through a guarantee facility to support Bangladesh in purchasing liquefied natural gas (LNG), aiming to ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Bangladesh’s IT exports witnessed a slight rise in the first nine months of the current financial year, buoyed by growing global demand for AI-powered services.

True reform requires the courage to correct the policy missteps of the past

Bangladesh’s mobile phone manufacturing industry, once hailed as a potential pillar of the country’s digital ambitions, is bracing for a fresh blow after the interim government proposed a hike in value-added tax (VAT) at the production stage in the national budget for fiscal year 2025-26.

Say economists about budget

A deep-rooted divide in access to devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy separates rural communities from urban counterparts

Starlink is steadily consolidating its presence in Bangladesh through a series of partnership agreements with local companies, with deals spanning ground station development, colocation and data centre services, core site hosting, transmission, and international internet gateway (IIG) facilities.