The Bangladesh TowerCo Association (BTA) has issued a stark warning that nationwide connectivity in Bangladesh could face severe disruption unless the government urgently prioritises energy supplies for the telecommunications sector.
In a statement released on 21 April in Dhaka, the industry body said ongoing fuel shortages—driven by global energy volatility—are placing mounting pressure on the country’s digital infrastructure, which underpins both economic activity and essential services.
Bangladesh operates more than 45,000 telecom towers, many of which rely on grid electricity supported by fuel-powered backup systems. The BTA cautioned that any prolonged interruption to fuel access could destabilise networks on a large scale, with local outages potentially cascading into widespread service failures affecting millions.
Sunil Issac, interim president of the BTA and country managing director of EDOTCO Bangladesh, said telecoms must be treated as critical national infrastructure during the crisis.
“Bangladesh’s connectivity ecosystem is facing a real and immediate threat,” he said. “If the telecom sector is not prioritised within national energy allocation frameworks, we risk a cascading failure impacting businesses, essential services and everyday life.”
The association confirmed it has formally approached both the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the Ministry of Energy, calling for coordinated intervention. Proposed measures include priority fuel allocation and structured rationing mechanisms to keep telecom infrastructure operational during shortages.
The warning highlights the broader economic risks of disruption. Key sectors—including banking, garment exports, e-commerce and ICT services—depend heavily on uninterrupted connectivity. Any sustained outage could halt transactions, interrupt supply chains and undermine confidence in Bangladesh’s digital economy.
“Telecommunications is the first domino in the digital economy,” Issac added. “If connectivity is compromised, the impact will be felt across every major sector—from financial systems to emergency communications.”
The BTA urged the government to formally recognise telecoms as a priority sector within national energy distribution policies, warning that the cost of inaction could far exceed the resources required to safeguard network continuity.