Abbreviation | BTRC |
---|---|
Formation | 2002 |
Purpose | Regulate telecommunication in Bangladesh |
Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Chairman | Md Mohiuddin Ahmed |
Parent organization | Posts and Telecommunications Division |
Website | www |
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ টেলিযোগাযোগ নিয়ন্ত্রণ কমিশন) is an independent commission founded under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act, 2001 (Act # 18 of 2001). The BTRC is responsible for regulating all matters related to telecommunications (wire, cellular, satellite and cable) of Bangladesh. The chairman of the commission has the status of a judge of the Bangladesh High Court.[1] Md Mohiuddin Ahmed is the chairman of the commission.[2]
In 1979, the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board was created through the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board ordinance.[3] The ordinance was revised in 1995.[3]
The BTRC started operating from 31 January 2002 with a vision of facilitating affordable telecommunication services and increasing the teledensity to at least 10 telephones per 100 inhabitants by 2010.[3] The ordinance was updated with the passage of Telecommunication Act (Corrected) bill in 2010.[3]
In 2016, the salaries of the commissions and chairman was doubled by the government of Bangladesh.[4]
In March 2013, BTRC was criticised by the Human Rights Watch[5] and other groups for banning a number of "atheist blogger" websites.[6] Blogs banned by the BTRC included the award-winning popular blog[7] by Asif Mohiuddin, who had been attacked by a machete wielding group in January.[8]
Mohiuddin was arrested the following month,[9] along with three other bloggers .[10]
Sl No. | Name | Term Start | Term End | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Syed Margub Murshed | 31 January 2002 | 30 January 2005 | [11] |
2. | Muhammad Omar Farooq | 31 March 2005 | 15 March 2007 | [11] |
3. | Major General Manzurul Alam | 22 April 2007 | 10 February 2009 | [11] |
4. | Major General Zia Ahmed | 26 February 2009 | 10 September 2012 | [11] |
5. | Md. Giashuddin Ahmed | 10 September 2012 | 22 October 2012 | [11] |
6. | Sunil Kanti Bose | 23 October 2012 | 23 September 2015 | [12][13] |
7. | Shahjahan Mahmood | 24 September 2015 | 1 September 2018 | [13] |
8. | Md Jahurul Haque | 31 January 2019 | 4 December 2020 | [14][15] |
9. | Shyam Sunder Sikder | 14 December 2020 | 11 December 2023 | [15] |
10. | Md Mohiuddin Ahmed | 11 December 2023 | Present |