The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) has hinted at taking legal action if the government does not revise several provisions of the new telecom policy, which it says put small and medium internet service providers (ISPs) at risk.
ISPAB President Mohammad Aminul Hakim, while welcoming the government’s initiative to modernize the telecom framework, urged urgent amendments to five key clauses of the policy to safeguard industry interests.
“We have no alternative but to pursue legal action to review the policy, as it threatens the survival of small and medium ISPs,” Hakim said at a discussion titled “New Telecom Policy and the Survival of Local Entrepreneurs,” organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network of Bangladesh (TRNB) at the RAOWA Convention Center today.
The session was presided over by TRNB President Samir Kumar Dey and moderated by its General Secretary Masuduzzman Robin.
One of ISPAB’s major objections is to Clause 7.4.5, which allows nationwide and divisional ISPs to become Fixed Telecom Service Providers (FTSP), while district and upazila-level ISPs can only upgrade to district-level operators. Industry insiders argue that this provision sidelines long-standing local entrepreneurs, many of whom have been operating since before the formal licensing process began in 2009 and have gained significant experience in last-mile service delivery.
ISPAB also raised concerns over Clause 7.4.7, which limits district FTSPs to internet and data services only. The association noted that with the rapid expansion of digital services—such as IP telephony, IP-TSP, and telemedicine—by 2025, restricting district-level ISPs would run counter to the government’s own drive for digital growth.
The association further pointed out discrepancies in licensing, saying that three state-owned Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) operators also hold Access Network Service Provider (ANSP) licenses under different names, creating scope for misuse. ISPAB urged the government to eliminate such conflicting provisions.
While welcoming Clauses 7.7.6 and 7.7.11, which define NTTN operators strictly as transmission providers, ISPAB questioned why large parts of the country remain without NTTN coverage. It proposed allowing ANSP operators to establish transmission networks in underserved areas to bridge the digital divide.
ISPAB warned that without amendments, the policy would undermine small and medium entrepreneurs in the ISP sector, jeopardizing domestic investment. It argued that with targeted revisions, however, the new telecom policy could both support local businesses and enhance broadband service quality across Bangladesh.