75% of Bangladesh’s fibre optic network vulnerable to disasters: Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb
Bangladesh currently has 150,000 kilometres of fibre optic network, 75 per cent of which is overhead and highly susceptible to natural disasters, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said today (21 August).
"Bangladesh requires at least 500,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable to meet national communication and sectoral needs. To ensure a safer and higher-quality network, connections must be laid underground," he said during a views-exchange meeting at Bangladesh Cable Shilpa Limited (Bakshi) in Shiromoni, Khulna.
"At the same time, it is essential to merge outdated government and private cable networks into a unified fibre optic system. The industry therefore holds immense potential," he added.
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He noted that in today's digital era, every industry is undergoing transformation. Demand for older technologies, such as traditional power and telecom cables, is likely to decline, while advanced technologies will dominate. Bakshi, he said, produces cables of different generations but must prioritise modernisation alongside effective marketing strategies.
The special assistant emphasised that the factory should urgently obtain international certification as an environmentally friendly, green, and pollution-free facility. Such recognition, he said, would enhance its global competitiveness. He also urged the company to explore new markets and assured that the ministry would provide full support.
It was further noted that since 1972, Bakshi has produced telecom copper cables, diversifying into fibre optic cables in 2010, HDPE ducts in 2016, and overhead conductors and power cables in 2019. The company currently has an annual capacity to manufacture 25,000 kilometres of optical fibre cable and posted a net profit of Tk28 crore in FY2024–25.
Later, Taiyeb visited the Khulna divisional offices of Teletalk, the Divisional Postmaster General, and BTCL, where he exchanged views with officers, staff, and service recipients.
