Telecom operators urge priority power, fuel supply to prevent communication breakdown
Operators said they are increasingly relying on diesel generators to keep networks running as commercial power supply remains unstable in many areas.
Bangladesh's mobile telecommunications network is facing serious disruption as an ongoing power and fuel crisis threatens operations across the country, according to mobile operators.
The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) has warned the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) that prolonged electricity outages and fuel shortages are putting telecom infrastructure under severe pressure.
Operators said they are increasingly relying on diesel generators to keep networks running as commercial power supply remains unstable in many areas.
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According to AMTOB, mobile operators are consuming around 52,425 litres of diesel and 19,859 litres of octane daily to operate BTS sites nationwide.
In addition, data centres and switching hubs of major operators, including Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink, require about 27,196 litres of diesel each day. Some facilities consume 500 to 600 litres of diesel per hour.
AMTOB President, Ziad Shatara, said uninterrupted telecom service has become increasingly difficult under the current circumstances, as both fuel supply and power availability remain uncertain.
He said mobile connectivity is now essential for communication, banking transactions, emergency response and digital services, and any prolonged outage would create widespread disruption.
Lt Col Mohammad Zulfikar (retd), secretary general of AMTOB, said if operators' data centres are shut down because of power or fuel shortages, the impact would spread quickly across the network.
"The data centre is the brain of the operator. If it goes down, the entire network goes down," he said.
AMTOB said many regions are facing power cuts of five to eight hours daily, while fuel transportation between districts has also been disrupted due to restrictions and logistical barriers.
The association has requested urgent intervention from the regulator to prevent a nationwide communication breakdown.
Its key demands include ensuring uninterrupted power supply to telecom data centres, granting priority electricity status to mobile towers, arranging direct fuel supply from depots, and allowing smooth transportation of fuel for telecom operations.
BTRC Chairman Major General (retd) Emdad Ul Bari said telecommunications is an essential service and the commission is working with relevant ministries to keep services operational.
Tanveer Mohammad, chief corporate affairs officer of Grameenphone, said, "With the ongoing global fuel crisis, mobile network operators (MNOs) in Bangladesh are experiencing challenges in electricity and fuel availability. While we appreciate the government's persistent support in helping MNOs navigate these challenges, the evolving situation calls for timely and targeted measures to sustain uninterrupted telecom services nationwide."
"In light of this, we seek further support from the government to help ensure uninterrupted power supply to critical telecom infrastructure; priority access to electricity for data centres, switching facilities, and base stations; streamlined fuel supply arrangements; and the facilitation of fuel transportation for emergency operations, in order to proactively avoid disruptions to essential services for millions", he added.
