The Competition Commission has rejected Grameenphone’s plea to withdraw allegations of anticompetitive deals and predatory pricing filed by its competitors.
The commission’s investigation will continue, and all parties will be called for hearings in the coming days, according to a statement from the commission.
Grameenphone’s lawyer had argued that the case fell outside the Commission’s jurisdiction. However, the Commission rejected this argument, ruling that the matter remains within its authority.
In January this year, Grameenphone’s competitors, Robi Axiata and Banglalink, filed complaints with the Commission, accusing the leading telecom operator of abusing its dominant market position and financial strength to subsidize SIM card sales, aiming to weaken competition. Such practices are prohibited under the Competition Act of 2012.
Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi Axiata PLC, expressed satisfaction with the decision. He said, “We welcome the decision of the Competition Commission to rightfully proceed with the investigation into allegations of abuse of dominance and anti-competitive practices.”
He further added, “This is a positive step towards ensuring a level playing field, where innovation and fair competition can thrive for the benefit of consumers and the industry as a whole.”
“We remain committed to cooperating fully with the Commission and will continue to advocate for policies and practices that strengthen healthy competition in the market,” Alam concluded.
In response, Grameenphone stated, “We have learned that an order has been issued. However, since we have not yet received a certified copy of the order, it is not possible for us to make any detailed comments at this moment.”
“Still, we would like to firmly reiterate that Grameenphone has been conducting its business operations in compliance with the prevailing competition laws of Bangladesh,” the company continued.
“Grameenphone is in no way involved in any anti-competitive activities. We categorically reject all allegations related to pricing, marketing, and distribution,” it added.
Grameenphone further said that the telecommunications sector in Bangladesh is strictly regulated by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act of 2001.
“The sector ensures fair competition, an open market, and consumer rights protection.”
“As an SMP (Significant Market Power) operator, Grameenphone operates within this legal framework, complying with specific regulatory directives, including asymmetric MNP lock-in, campaign approvals, and interconnection charges,” the company said.
“In such a heavily regulated environment, the allegations brought against Grameenphone are baseless and merely reflect negative competitive motives,” Grameenphone concluded.
