Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
Name	Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
Formed	2002
Preceding1	Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board
Jurisdiction	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Headquarters	Ramna, Dhaka District
Chief1 position	Chairman

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission is the statutory authority responsible for regulating telecommunication services and infrastructure in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established under national legislation, the Commission operates alongside institutions such as the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited, the Bangladesh Posts and Telecommunications Division, and interacts with international bodies like the International Telecommunication Union, the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, and the World Bank. Its work affects operators including Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink, Teletalk (Bangladesh), and stakeholders such as the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and multinational firms.

History

The Commission was created in 2002 following reforms inspired by comparative models like the Federal Communications Commission, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, and the Office of Communications (Ofcom), replacing legacy entities such as the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board and adapting policy trends from the World Trade Organization telecom commitments. Early milestones included regulatory frameworks developed in consultation with advisors from the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and technical partners from Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, and ZTE. Subsequent phases saw spectrum auctions and licensing reforms influenced by precedents set by the National Telecommunications Commission (Philippines), the Korea Communications Commission, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Mandate and Legal Framework

Statutory authority derives from the Telecommunications Act and related statutes, aligning with instruments like the Information and Communication Technology Act (Bangladesh), the Right to Information Act (Bangladesh), and regulatory principles promoted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the International Criminal Police Organization, and the International Organization for Standardization. The Commission’s mandate includes licensing, spectrum allocation, tariff regulation, interconnection rules, and consumer protection, interacting with legal institutions such as the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and legislative committees in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Organizational Structure

The Commission’s governance model features a chairman and commissioners supported by departments analogous to units in the European Commission, the United States Federal Communications Commission, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Divisions cover technical engineering, legal affairs, economics, spectrum management, consumer affairs, and research, collaborating with academic partners like the University of Dhaka, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and the North South University. The secretariat liaises with parastatals including Sundarban Telecommunications Limited and state-owned enterprises such as the Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited.

Regulatory Functions and Responsibilities

Functions include developing regulatory policies, setting interconnection rates, approving tariffs, and enforcing quality standards, influenced by frameworks from the Economic Cooperation Organization, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution. The Commission coordinates with law enforcement agencies like the Rapid Action Battalion, the Bangladesh Police, and the Bangladesh Navy on matters of interception and network security, and engages with civil society groups such as BRAC, Transparency International Bangladesh, and Citizen's Platform on digital rights and access.

Licensing and Spectrum Management

The Commission administers licensing regimes for fixed, mobile, and value-added services, and manages radio frequency spectrum allocations for broadcasters like Bangladesh Television, Channel i, and NTV (Bangladesh), as well as satellite operators similar to Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited. Spectrum planning borrows methodologies from the International Telecommunication Union Radio Regulations, the GSM Association, and regional plans endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity. Allocation procedures have involved auctions, beauty contests, and administrative assignments affecting carriers like Airtel Bangladesh (historical), Citycell, and emerging entrants backed by investors from China Mobile, SingTel, and Bharti Airtel.

Consumer Protection and Quality of Service

The Commission sets and enforces quality-of-service benchmarks, dispute-handling timelines, and number portability rules, drawing on best practices from the European Union regulatory acquis and models used by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (UAE). It addresses consumer complaints arising from billing, dropped calls, and broadband speed, coordinating with consumer organizations including the Consumer Association of Bangladesh and sectoral NGOs funded by entities such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme.

Enforcement, Compliance, and Dispute Resolution

Enforcement powers include fines, license suspension, and orders for network remediation, with adjudication involving administrative tribunals and potential appeals to the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. The Commission resolves inter-operator disputes over interconnection and roaming, referencing precedents from the International Chamber of Commerce and arbitration rules like those of the London Court of International Arbitration. Compliance initiatives have targeted illegal VoIP operations, signal jamming investigated with assistance from manufacturers like Siemens and regulatory peer networks including the Asia Pacific Telecommunity Regulatory Working Group.

Category:Telecommunications in Bangladesh Category:Regulatory agencies in Bangladesh