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The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) has requested the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to ensure priority allocation of fuel and electricity for the telecom sector amid concern over supply constraints.
In a letter addressed to the BTRC chairman, the industry body said recent fuel rationalisation measures adopted by the Power Division of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation due to global energy volatility and rising domestic demand could affect the continuity of telecom services.
AMTOB noted that telecommunication is recognised by the government as an essential service and currently supports more than 185 million subscribers nationwide.
However, the association warned that fuel shortages at distribution points could undermine the operation of the country's extensive network infrastructure.
As telecom networks rely heavily on diesel and petrol generators during power outages, any disruption in fuel supply could result in widespread service interruptions.
According to the letter, possible consequences include large-scale network outages across different regions, disruption of emergency and public safety communications, interruptions to digital financial transactions, instability in data centres and potential damage to sensitive equipment, as well as delays in restoring critical national infrastructure.
In the letter, signed by AMTOB Secretary General Lt Col Mohammad Zulfikar (Retd), the association outlined several measures it considers necessary to maintain service stability.
These include guaranteed priority fuel allocation based on the operational requirements of the country's four mobile network operators and four tower companies. AMTOB also called for uninterrupted electricity supply and reduced load shedding at core network facilities and data centres.
The association further urged the authorities to issue directives to fuel stations to ensure smooth fuel supply for telecom maintenance vehicles and base transceiver station (BTS) sites.
AMTOB said it remains committed to supporting national stability and requested the BTRC to coordinate the matter with the Cabinet Division of Bangladesh, the Power Division and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation to safeguard uninterrupted telecom services.
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