Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has called emergency meetings with stakeholders to maintain uninterrupted telecom services amid a global fuel crisis and worsening power shortages.
The regulator stepped up coordination after mobile operators reported frequent outages at sites and disruptions in servers due to load shedding and inadequate electricity supply.
BTRC said priority fuel allocation and uninterrupted power supply are critical for mobile towers, data centres and core network facilities.
On 12 March, BTRC requested the Posts and Telecommunications Division to ensure priority fuel and electricity supply for telecom infrastructure.
The division on 13 March asked the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the Power Division and district administrations to take necessary steps.
BTRC sent another letter on 20 April seeking law enforcement support to facilitate fuel transportation and maintenance at tower sites, as operators increasingly rely on generators.
Two meetings have been scheduled to address the situation.
The first, on 22 April, will involve Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, mobile operators, Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network operators, tower companies and the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh to ensure fuel supply.
A second meeting on 23 April at BTRC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, will include Bangladesh Power Development Board, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh and other power distribution companies, alongside telecom stakeholders, focusing on stable electricity supply to critical infrastructure.
