TowerCo Industry Leaders Call for Reform, Resilience & Collaboration

Syed Mizan::

“TowerCo Build Forward Forum 2025 highlights urgency of enabling policy, cross-sector collaboration, and future-ready infrastructure for future ready Bangladesh”

Dhaka, 21 July 2025 – Key players in Bangladesh’s telecommunications infrastructure sector came together today at the TowerCo Build Forward Forum 2025, making a unified call for urgent policy reform, infrastructure resilience and stronger cross-sector collaboration to unlock the country’s digital future.

Held under the theme “Unifying TowerCo for a Smarter Bangladesh,” the forum unscored the critical role that TowerCos play in enabling over 90% of the country’s mobile network coverage, laying the foundation for nationawide connectivity, digital inclusion, and economic progress.

At the heart of the forum was a high-powered panel discussion featuring senior executives from the leading licensed TowerCos, who addressed pressing industry issues and aligned on future priorities. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Major General (retired) Md Emdad Ul Bari was present at the event as the Chief Guest.

The leaders welcomed BTRC’s new licensing schemes and the proposed National Infrastructure and Connectivity Services Provider (NICSP) framework as timely and progressive steps toward a more inclusive and efficient telecom infrastructure ecosystem. These policy reforms, they noted, could unlock growth opportunities for TowerCos and strengthen Bangladesh’s nationwide connectivity backbone.

However, they also emphasized that policy clarity and execution remain critical. Gaps persist around DAS and IBS solutions, both of which are vital to achieving reliable indoor coverage, where over 80% of mobile data traffic originates. While the neutral host model offers significant promise, TowerCo leaders called for urgent resolution of long-standing operational challenges such as battery theft, site acquisition delays, and the need for greener, more resilient energy solutions. The speakers also emphasized the importance of unified standards, public-private coordination, and investment in resilient, sustainable solutions.

BTRC Chairman Emdad Ul Bari remarked, “The telecom industry is the vital enabler of the digital economy. No single industry can stand alone as it requires a united, cross-sector approach. That’s why combination and collaboration in this sector are highly essential.”

He further added, “We are opening new doors for business while ensuring greater transparency and regulatory clarity through our proposed Telecommunications Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025. Setting and monitoring key performance indicators (KPI) of the existing players is our utmost priority.”

“Investors today are looking at market certainty, policy predictability, and ecosystem alignment,” said Sunil Issac, Country Managing Director of EDOTCO Bangladesh. “With the right enablers in place, the TowerCo sector can attract strategic capital, accelerate national coverage, and reduce the overall cost of digital access.”

“As an industry, we face common hurdles like energy theft, long permitting cycles, and a lack of co-location incentives. Our forum today was a timely platform to align on practical, scalable solutions.” said Md Serajus Saleheen, CEO of Frontier Towers.

In a symbolic yet strategic move, the event also witnessed the official launch of the Bangladesh TowerCo Association, a unified platform formed by the four licensed TowerCos to drive collective advocacy, knowledge exchange, and regulatory engagement. The Association is expected to become a critical counterpart to government agencies like BTRC and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and IT, supporting policy formulation and ensuring infrastructure readiness for 5G, IoT, and Smart City initiatives.

“Today is a statement of readiness. Our sector has the ability to catalyse digital GDP growth, but only if we eliminate operational inefficiencies and regulatory friction.” said Md. Noor-A-Alam Siddiqi, Chief Technology Officer, Summit Towers Ltd.

Adding depth to the forum discussions, Abdus Salam, Country Manager of Ericsson Bangladesh and Gayan Koralage, Director of Strategy, EDOTCO Group shared industry insights from across the region. Both emphasized that mobile technology — particularly 5G and AI — will play a pivotal role in accelerating Bangladesh’s economic growth and digital transformation. Compared to its South and Southeast Asian neighbours, Bangladesh holds significant untapped potential in the telecommunications sector, which could further drive progress in manufacturing, data centres and other key industries.

To fully realize this opportunity, all stakeholders in the telecom ecosystem must work together to ensure growth is achieved in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. Meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving digital services landscape will require increased innovation, greater automation, and more strategic sharing of infrastructure and resources across the industry.

The TowerCo Build Forum 2025 concluded with a joint commitment to establish a reform-oriented, investor-friendly, and innovation-driven tower ecosystem, capable of powering Bangladeh’s digital future and unlocking broad-based economic impact.