Bangladesh to implement ‘one country one rate’ policy for internet tariff

Dhaka — With the aim to minimise the disparity of quality and access to the internet between the cities and rural areas in Bangladesh, the government has launched — ‘One Country One Rate’ — tariff service.

The service which was inaugurated on Sunday by the country’s telecom minister Mustafa Jabbar urges telcos to streamline their internet tariff and speed across the country without any discrimination based on demographics classification.

“The internet speed that will be in the cities should also be in the villages. Why pay extra outside the cities? It is not acceptable,” said Jabbar, adding that the ‘one country one rate’ policy must be followed. 

The minister said that higher rates of internet services in rural areas will create a digital divide and tailback to the dream of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Digital Bangladesh which envisages providing equal and sustainable digital opportunities to every citizen in the country.

The ‘One Country One Rate’ policy will be implemented by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). The Commission chairman Shyam Sundar Sikder was also present during the launch function.

BTRC reported 174.10 million mobile subscribers at the end of April 2021. According to Bangladesh Mobile Phone Subscribers Association, there are 17,46,27,000 mobile phone subscribers in the country, of these, 11,27,15,000 are internet users.

As many as 54 per cent of the population are still out of telecommunication services network, said the industry body.

Mobile Phone Subscribers in Bangladesh in April 2021.