DHAKA, Feb 18, 2025 (BSS) - A three-day International Symposium on Spectrum Management under the auspices of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) began today.

Around 200 representatives of telecommunications and information technology regulatory agencies, telecom operators, government and private sector officials, and experts of the sectors from host Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Iran, Australia, Mongolia, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Tonga, Laos and other countries are participating in the event, said a BTRC press release today.

CISCO and INMARSAT of Singapore, GSMA (Hong Kong), KDDI Corporation of Japan, Global Satellite Operators Association, Amazon, Meta, Starlink, Qualcomm India, Huawei Technologies, Telenor Asia, Palace Consulting of Australia and National Institute of Communication and Technology of Japan, among the associate organizations of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) are taking part at the event.

With BTRC Chairman Maj Gen Md Emdad Ul Bari (retd) in the chair, Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Dr. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest while APT Secretary General Masanori Kondo as special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman said radio spectrum is a rare and valuable resource whose proper utilization is very important. 

He noted proper utilization of spectrum plays a vital role in the socio-economic and technological development of a country.

Masanori Kondo said the symposium is designed for policymakers, telecom regulators and technology organizations in the Asia-Pacific region involved in spectrum policy, regulation and management. 

Extending gratitude to BTRC for organizing the symposium, he said the symposium will provide important insights on future technologies, including national spectrum strategy formulation, spectrum management and spectrum roadmap development, which will also contribute effectively to the regulatory and policy formulation of the member countries.

Emdad-ul-Bari said availability of adequate and affordable spectrum is essential for expanding digital connectivity across the world. 

APT is working closely with member countries, industry and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive spectrum roadmap, he added.

Mentioning that a stable and efficient spectrum management policy is essential for long-term investment and growth, the BTRC Chairman said that inefficient spectrum management policy can create financial pressure on service providers, which can hinder infrastructure expansion and service quality improvement as well.

The objective of this symposium is to discuss and exchange new ideas on the outcomes of the World Radio Communication Conference-2023 held in Dubai in 2023, new ICT innovations and spectrum management policy and regulatory issues to facilitate regional cooperation. 

The first day of the symposium focused on the APT Strategic Plan 2024-2026 and Connectivity Necessity and National Spectrum Strategy.

The symposium will continue till February 20.