GP, Banglalink accuse Robi of violating merger conditions; seek BTRC intervention
The operators allege that despite explicit directives from both the regulator and the High Court, Robi continues to promote and operate Airtel-branded services as a separate brand nearly nine years after the merger
Highlights:
- Grameenphone and Banglalink accuse Robi of violating Airtel merger terms
- Robi allegedly continues operating Airtel as a separate brand
- Airtel SIMs, promotions, website and app still actively used
- Operators say this misleads consumers and distorts market competition
- Robi claims Airtel is a legally acquired sub-brand under merger
- Robi argues sub-branding is common and compliant with regulations
Two major mobile operators — Grameenphone and Banglalink — have formally sought regulatory intervention from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), accusing Robi Axiata Limited of repeatedly violating the conditions of its 2016 merger with Airtel Bangladesh.
The operators allege that despite explicit directives from both the regulator and the High Court, Robi continues to promote and operate Airtel-branded services as a separate brand nearly nine years after the merger.
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In separate letters to BTRC, they said Condition 20 of the merger approval, issued on 26 October 2016, clearly required that all advertising, marketing and commercial communications be carried out solely under the name "Robi Axiata Limited".
Grameenphone said that the High Court's 31 August 2016 verdict approved the merger on the condition that all directives from the telecom ministry and BTRC were fully complied with.
The two operators said that despite this, Robi continues to run a parallel Airtel ecosystem. Airtel-branded SIMs remain widely available, many retail outlets still display Airtel signage as exclusive sales points, and a dedicated Airtel website and mobile application continue to offer packages and customer services independently.
Airtel-branded data packs, recharge offers, international call rates, roaming services and VoLTE promotions are also actively marketed, while Airtel's social media channels remain operational as if it were still a standalone operator, Grameenphone added.
Such practices mislead consumers, create brand confusion and distort market competition, Grameenphone argued, saying Robi is leveraging Airtel's longstanding international brand equity in violation of merger conditions and licensing obligations.
Tanveer Mohammad, chief corporate affairs officer of Grameenphone, told The Business Standard that the company believes industry-wide compliance is essential for fair competition.
"We have raised concerns about anti-competitive practices that directly violate merger conditions and licensing obligations. Such actions undermine the spirit of healthy competition," he said, adding that Grameenphone has requested the Commission to investigate, take necessary action.
Banglalink, in its letter dated 30 October, echoed the concerns, stating: "Robi continues to actively issue SIM connections under the 016 number series and engages in widespread brand promotion and customer-facing operations under the 'Airtel' name. There is no publicly available evidence of any valid extension, exemption, or variation granted by the Commission permitting such continued use."
The operator said Robi's actions breach regulatory instructions as well as obligations endorsed by the High Court.
Taimur Rahman, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer of Banglalink, said the matter is fundamentally about compliance. "When the regulator and even the High Court have clearly set conditions, no operator should be allowed to operate outside the law. We expect BTRC to ensure a level playing field."
Responding to the allegations, a senior Robi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TBS that Airtel remains a legally acquired sub-brand of Robi Axiata Limited.
"The High Court-approved merger transferred all Airtel trademarks, logos and intellectual property rights to Robi," the official said, adding that using multiple brands within one company is globally accepted and that telecom operators worldwide — including Grameenphone with Skitto — follow similar practices.
Robi said that sub-branding enhances customer choice and does not breach regulatory obligations.
