News Flash
DHAKA, April 21, 2025 (BSS) – Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb asked the private mobile phone operators to cut internet price, making announcement of trimming internet prices across three tiers, following a leading private data and transmission service provider’s decision to lower its bulk rates.
He said the only thing left now is for the three private mobile phone operators to announce price reductions, as the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) has already declared doubling the internet speeds to 10 mbps from 5 mbps at the same rate of Taka 500.
The special assistant today came up with this announcement in a post on his official facebook page as the government has been continuing its effort to provide affordable internet services to the citizen.
"There are widespread concerns about the quality of mobile internet in Bangladesh. The price is significantly higher compared to the quality. In this situation, the government is committed to taking reasonable steps in the interest of consumers," he said.
Meanwhile, the mobile phone operators have welcomed the move of cutting the price at bulk level and said they must provide better services to the customers if their costing is reduced.
Taiyeb detailed the ongoing efforts to bring down internet costs in a structured and inclusive manner.
According to him, leading private data, transmission and infrastructure service provider Fiber@Home has confirmed price reductions at three key levels: International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) by 10 percent, International Internet Gateway (IIG) by 10 percent and
Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) by 15 percent.
Talking to BSS, Abbas Faruque, Chief government and regulatory affairs officer of Fiber@Home said that they have cut the price in line with the government’s move of providing quality internet at affordable price to the citizens.
"Welcoming the initiative, our company, Fiber@Home, has shaken hands with the government to bring it to life, ensuring users have access to affordable internet," he added.
Another such company, Summit Communications, is also mulling to the same. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company Md Arif Al Islam told the news agency that they are also mulling to take some measures about pricing.
Besides, ISPAB President Md Emdadul Hoque on the price cut commented that the real benefit of the price cut will be seen only if it is implemented at the market level, rather than in headline price level.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) had also taken a strong step forward by reducing international gateway prices. BSCCL slashed charges by 10 percent for all IIGs and ISPs, with wholesale clients receiving an even more generous 20 percent discount in total.
With these collective moves, internet pricing has now been eased at nearly all stages of the country’s internet licensing regime — from international links to local access networks, said Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, adding, “Only one key area remains to be addressed: mobile internet.”
Meanwhile, two private mobile phone operators - Robi and Banglalink have welcomed the move.
Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi told BSS that they welcomed the initiative of the special assistant as he has been negotiating to provide affordable and quality internet to the customers.
"Our pricing is based on the cost. As we mentioned earlier, if the cost is reduced, the end user may see a corresponding decrease in the price, we are confirming it again," he added.
Taimur Rahman, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer of Banglalink told the news agency that “We’re working on different reform issues and will try to provide better service to the customers.”
The Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser noted that although the state-owned Teletalk has already implemented a 10 percent discount on mobile internet services since Eid-ul-Fitr, the country’s three private mobile network operators have yet to follow suit or make any related announcements.
Nevertheless, the government has taken proactive steps to support the mobile telecommunications sector.
“We’ve provided mobile operators with access to DWDM and dark fibre infrastructure — resources that notably reduce operational costs. With such support and upstream price reductions already in place, there’s no justifiable reason for mobile operators to delay lowering their prices,” stated Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb.
He expressed optimism that the private operators would soon respond positively and align themselves with the broader national interest.
The government is expecting the two key actions from these operators: The mobile companies will reduce the prices they had increased in March under the pretext of SRO adjustment. (The government had taken an initiative to increase tariffs but later backed out, yet the mobile companies did not lower the increased prices accordingly.)
Another is that "The price of internet at the customer level will be reduced proportionately to the amount by which the wholesale rates have been decreased at the International Gateway/ITC, IIG, and National Transmission levels."
