Tk 10,000cr media opportunity needs level playing field

Bangladesh has the potential to build a robust Media & Entertainment industry worth more than Tk 10,000 crore. With around 170 million people, more than 40 million households, expanding broadband connectivity and growing consumption of television, sports and streaming content, the opportunity could be significantly larger as the market develops, monetisation improves and advertising opportunities expand.

Capturing that opportunity requires a regulatory framework that recognises the respective roles of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Television and broadcast content fall within the regulatory domain of MoIB, while BTRC regulates telecommunications networks, connectivity and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). As broadband and television converge, preserving this distinction becomes more important, not less.

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Against this backdrop, BTRC is reportedly considering allowing ISPs to bundle domestic and international OTT and streaming services with broadband packages. But if the framework is not carefully structured, it risks creating regulatory bypass and uneven competition, ultimately undermining the formalisation and monetisation of the Media & Entertainment industry. International regulatory frameworks commonly distinguish between the provision of connectivity and the regulated distribution of television and broadcast content. A licence to provide internet connectivity should not, by itself, give the authority to aggregate and commercially distribute such content.

A MoIB licensed television platform invests in content rights, technology, subscriber management, content security and infrastructure. It must secure legitimate distribution rights, comply with copyright and content requirements, and meet applicable regulatory and tax obligations. If an ISP can aggregate television, streaming, sports and other content into its broadband proposition without equivalent obligations, both may compete for the same household, screen and consumer spending but under materially different regulatory conditions. The more an MoIB licensed operator invests in becoming formal, licensed and compliant, the greater its potential cost disadvantage against those able to reach the same market through a lighter regulatory pathway.

There is also a growing gap between the existing regulatory framework and market practice. Some domestic OTT platforms already carry linear television channels without the applicable license or broadcasting authorisation, while some ISPs are involved in the unauthorised retransmission and distribution of television channels and premium content. Introducing commercial ISP–OTT bundling without first addressing these compliance and enforcement issues risks giving legitimacy and greater scale to activities that may not comply with existing broadcasting, content-rights and licensing requirements. The same principle must apply to digital platforms operating from outside Bangladesh but commercially targeting Bangladesh consumers. Content rights cannot substitute for the regulatory authority required to distribute that content in Bangladesh. Without the required authorisation, such activity is unauthorised distribution and should be subject to enforcement by MoIB and BTRC within their respective jurisdictions.

If audiences and revenues continue to migrate through informal or lightly regulated distribution channels, the potential value of an industry worth more than Tk 10,000 crore could be significantly eroded. Licensed broadcasters and platforms lose the ability to monetise audiences, while Government loses substantial revenues from taxation, licensing and fees when Bangladesh content rights and consumers are monetised outside the country's regulated broadcasting and fiscal framework.

There is also a significant risk to investment. Attracting meaningful foreign direct investment into the Media & Entertainment and creative economy requires regulatory certainty, a level playing field and credible enforcement. These are long-term investments, often requiring more than five years to generate an appropriate return. Investors therefore need confidence that regulations will be consistently applied and that licensed operators will not be disadvantaged by unlicensed competition and unauthorised services, whether operated domestically or from outside Bangladesh. Content and intellectual property rights must also be effectively protected. Without that certainty, both investment appetite and the long-term value of the industry will inevitably be weakened.

The answer is not to prevent ISPs from participating. The better solution is to clearly separate the network that delivers the service from the platform that aggregates and provides the content. BTRC-licensed ISPs should be encouraged to partner with appropriately MoIB-licensed broadcasting platforms. ISPs can provide connectivity, market bundled packages, acquire customers, undertake billing and participate in revenue sharing. The MoIB-licensed operator should remain responsible for content aggregation, rights, copyright compliance, subscriber entitlement and service delivery.

The separation is regulatory, not commercial. ISPs gain new revenue opportunities, broadcast operators gain wider distribution, content owners gain accountable partners, consumers gain greater choice and Government benefits from increased tax revenues as the industry becomes more effectively monetised. A large and investable Media & Entertainment industry cannot be built if MoIB licensed operators bear the costs of content rights, licensing and taxation while substantially equivalent content services reach consumers without comparable obligations.

The principle should be clear. Regulation should follow the activity, not the technology used to deliver it. Whether television and broadcast content reaches consumers through satellite, cable, broadband, mobile or the public internet, its commercial aggregation and distribution should remain subject to the appropriate MoIB regulatory framework.

Regulatory decisions affecting television and content distribution should not be taken in isolation. Bangladesh first needs a comprehensive Broadcasting Act that establishes a consistent framework for content licensing, aggregation, distribution and enforcement across different technologies. The ISP–OTT subject matter, together with other emerging distribution models, should be addressed within that common framework. Such a framework should clearly define the respective roles of MoIB and BTRC, create a level playing field for licensed operators, protect content rights and enable new distribution models.

Crucially, it must be backed by effective enforcement against piracy, unauthorised content distribution and platforms operating outside the applicable licensing framework. Without enforcement, compliant operators will continue to bear the costs of rights, licensing and taxation while unauthorised services erode the value of the regulated market. The objective should be to bring more viewers, content and revenues into the economy, attract foreign investment and unlock the full potential of the Media & Entertainment opportunity, not inadvertently suppress it.

The author is a strategic consultant across technology, media and infrastructure industries.