Telecom tensions have intensified as both Grameenphone (GP) and Banglalink have complained to the telecom regulator that their competitor Robi Axiata continues to operate under both the Robi and Airtel brands, allegedly violating the 2016 merger conditions.
Robi Axiata has denied the claims, terming them “misleading” and apparently a “retaliation” for its formal anti-competition complaint which is under review.
In a letter sent to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in September 2025, significant market power (SMP) operator GP, in what appears to be a countermove in the industry’s ongoing anti-competition battle, said Robi Axiata is engaged in anticompetitive practices by maintaining two parallel brands.
GP said Robi is misleading consumers by creating brand confusion, unfairly leveraging Airtel’s international goodwill, and distorting market dynamics by undermining a level playing field.
The BTRC’s merger approval letter issued on 26 October 2016 had categorically instructed the post-merger entity Robi Axiata Limited to refrain from selling Airtel SIMs under the 016 number series after two years. However, the regulator retained the authority to extend the deadline, after which the company would be required to migrate all 016 numbers to the 018 series upon regulatory instruction.
The approval letter also instructed the merged operator to run all advertisements and marketing activities solely under the name Robi Axiata Limited.
Banglalink, the third-largest operator, echoed GP’s concerns in a separate letter to the BTRC on 30 October this year, calling for strict enforcement of the merger conditions.
“According to media reports, we understand that the condition for the Robi–Airtel merger was that Airtel would be allowed to continue operating for the initial two years post-merger. However, we see that even after nine years, both brands are still active, which is unfortunate,” Banglalink Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman said.
He told TIMES of Bangladesh that regulators across the world impose restrictions on merged entities when anticompetitive risks arise, and the same was done during the Robi–Airtel merger.
“However, those restrictions were not honoured, and as a smaller competitor, Banglalink is suffering significantly,” he added.
GP Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Tanveer Mohammad said, “We have raised concerns about anticompetitive practices that directly violate merger conditions and licensing obligations.”
He said such actions undermine the principles of fair competition, which is why GP has urged the BTRC to investigate the complaint, take appropriate action, and issue directives to uphold fair competition, regulatory integrity and consumer trust.
“Grameenphone firmly believes that compliance by all operators is essential for ensuring fair competition and consumer confidence,” he added.
Robi Axiata, which became the second-largest operator after the merger and later went public in 2020 after turning profitable, remains far behind GP in profitability. The company, along with Banglalink—which has never been profitable—has filed anticompetition complaints against GP with the Bangladesh Competition Commission, where investigations are ongoing.
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, Robi Axiata Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer Shahed Alam said, “The matter concerning the Airtel brand has been fully resolved. Both the Ministry of Telecom and the BTRC have formally approved the use of our Airtel brand.”
He further said, it is important to distinguish between a company and a brand. A single company may legitimately operate multiple brands, and the existence or use of a brand does not imply a separate legal entity.
