Telecom Regulator Seizes Thousands of SIMs in VoIP Crackdown

Bangladesh’s mobile subscriber base dropped by over 52 lakh between July and September 2024, following a 50% hike in value-added tax (VAT) on SIM cards in this fiscal year's budget, raising the tax from Tk 200 to Tk 300. Mobile operators cited this as the primary reason for the largest single-quarter decline in recent years, with 36 lakh subscribers lost in July and August and 16.3 lakh in September.

Teletalk Bangladesh Limited, the state-owned mobile operator, has introduced a trial online SIM service as part of a commercial pilot program, starting on November 27. Initially available in 11 post offices across Rajshahi, Naogaon, and Chapainawabganj districts, the service integrates SIM distribution with the Bangladesh Postal Department’s extensive network.

On November 26, 2024, BRAC Bank and Robi Axiata Limited announced a strategic partnership to enhance financial operations with comprehensive cash management services. The collaboration allows Robi to benefit from BRAC Bank’s advanced transaction banking solutions, including streamlined collection, payment, and liquidity management.

Banglalink has won the prestigious 'Project Management Awards 2024' from the Project Management Institute (PMI) Bangladesh for its 'Cumilla DC DR Project.' The project excelled in three categories: Project of the Year, Project Manager of the Year, and runner-up Program Management Office (PMO) of the Year.

Grameenphone, Bangladesh's largest mobile operator, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ericsson to collaborate on advancing AI and automation in the telecommunications sector. The partnership, formalized during Innovate Asia 2024, will focus on deploying cutting-edge AI and automation solutions through technology trials, workshops, and pilot projects.

Bangladesh's telecom operators and other stakeholders have welcomed new guidelines to introduce satellite internet services via Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellites, seeing it as an opportunity to bridge digital divides and improve disaster management.