The Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) has placed a seven-point demand before the government, urging reforms in the telecom policy to ensure fair pricing, infrastructure access, and protection for domestic entrepreneurs.
The demand was presented at a workshop titled “Draft Telecom Policy and Challenges of the ISP Industry”, organised by the Telecom Reporters’ Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at the RAOWA Club in the capital on Saturday.
ISPAB proposed the introduction of both floor and ceiling pricing for broadband services. It recommended setting the minimum price at Tk 800 for a 50 Mbps connection. The association also called for the immediate implementation of active infrastructure sharing among providers to reduce cost and improve service quality.
The organisation demanded that last-mile connectivity remain under the control of internet service providers (ISPs), arguing this would help ensure service reliability and competitiveness. It also urged a reduction in long-haul Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) service charges to a single-digit percentage.
Further, ISPAB called for the removal of the Social Obligation Fund (SOF) and revenue-sharing obligations imposed on ISPs. It concluded its demand by pressing for regulatory safeguards for local and domestic entrepreneurs in the face of growing market and policy pressure.
ISPAB President Aminul Hakim said the draft telecom policy has created the worst regulatory crisis in the past 27 years. He described it as self-contradictory and warned that unrealistic price expectations were driving populist narratives that do not reflect operational realities.
He said private operators are unable to lower internet prices while the government takes nearly 60 percent in taxes and levies from the sector. “We want to offer quality internet services at affordable prices, but that will only be possible under a supportive policy framework,” he said.
General Secretary Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan said the absence of infrastructure sharing has resulted in substantial financial waste. He noted that ISPAB had already introduced a shared 1 Gbps cable line in Dhanmondi, allowing 77 ISPs to jointly deliver high-speed services — a model he said could be replicated elsewhere.
Former ISPAB presidents Abdus Salam and Emdadul Haque also addressed the session. Technical adviser Mobarak Hossain presented the association’s proposal. TRNB President Samir Kumar Dey moderated the discussion, while General Secretary Masuduzzaman Robin gave the welcome speech.