Enact investment-friendly telecom act: Stakeholders

Telecommunication sector stakeholders have urged the government to make the upcoming Telecommunications Act 2024 investment-friendly in order to realise the Smart Bangladesh dream.

At a roundtable organised by the Telecom and Technology Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB), they proposed changes to several provisions of the draft act for better dispute resolution and to avoid abnormal penalties or punishments for minor offences in business.

Instead of being penalty-dependent, the law should be implementable, tolerant, and should reduce existing complications through inclusion and coordination facilities, speakers said at the programme held in the capital yesterday to discuss the draft act meant to replace the country's two-decades-old telecom law.

Representatives of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) highlighted the need for changes in provisions that leave no way to legally challenge the government or the telecom regulator in any civil court.

Another provision imposes fines of up to Tk300 crore for minor offences. In contrast, fines in India for severe business offences are not higher than Rs5 crore, they said.

They also said the provision treating relevant top executives' roles in unwarranted business practices as a non-bailable offence would hurt work and the business environment in the sector.

According to them, the draft law inadequately addresses factors like the regulatory independence of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), social media businesses, and the inclusion of the latest technologies like artificial intelligence or attracting investors in a coordinated manner.

Saimum Reza Talukder, faculty member at the BRAC University School of Law, said the immunity provision for the government and regulator goes against the rule of law.

Acknowledging the stakeholders' concerns, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, "We believe the revised telecom law will be timely, liberal, forward-looking, business-friendly as well as citizen-friendly through the accommodation of best practices."

Speaking as the chief guest, he stated that a nine-member committee would work on the necessary amendments proposed by the stakeholders.

The roundtable was moderated by TRNB President Rashed Mehdi, where General Secretary Masuduzzaman Robin delivered the welcome speech. BTRC Chairman Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed spoke as the special guest, and AMTOB President Yasir Azman was a guest of honour.

Yasir Azman said the law will be friendly to citizens, the state, as well as to businesses and investors. He highlighted the need for the formulation of the law in line with that in other countries.

Robi's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Shahed Alam presented the AMTOB proposals that included suggestions for an easy exit for telecom businesses, streamlined merger processes, clear guidelines for the industry, a red tape-free ecosystem, adaptability to new technologies to be friendly to entrepreneurs and investors.

Licensing policy, social media, and OTT policies also need further attention, he added.

BTRC Vice-Chairman Md Aminul Haque, presenting the draft of the Bangladesh Telecommunications Act 2024, said it accommodated penalties for exchange and sharing of obscene content and issues like wiretapping, alongside addressing smart services like e-commerce and OTT.

Grameenphone's COO Hans Martin, Banglalink's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Taimur Rahman, Teletalk Acting Managing Director Nurul Mabud Chowdhury, Fibre at Home Director Abbas Farooq, Summit Communications Chief Architect Officer Farooq Imtiaz, and Nagad Vice President Sajal Zahid were present at the roundtable.