A three-day workshop on policy, regulation and services has begun in Dhaka with the participation of South Asian telecommunications regulators (South Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council) organized by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Around 200 (two hundred) representatives of telecommunications and information technology regulatory agencies of host Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives and Iran, telecom operators, officials of government and private organizations, and telecom and information technology related experts are participating in the workshop organized at the BTRC building in Agargaon, Dhaka from 28-30 April 2025. The Asia Pacific Telecommunication Community (APTC) associate member organizations include Huawei Technologies of China, Amazon India, Internet Society Asia Limited of Singapore and Cullen International of Belgium.
The workshop was inaugurated by BTRC Chairman Major General Md. Emdad-ul-Bari (Retd.) and was attended by Mr. Faiz Ahmed Tayyab, Special Assistant to the Hon’ble Principal Advisor on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, as the Chief Guest, Mr. Masanri Kund, Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunication Community, and Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokar, Member of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Chairman of the SATC Workshop on Policy, Regulation and Services.
Mr. Faiz Ahmed Tayyab, Special Assistant to the Honorable Principal Advisor on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, said, “With the change in technology, almost every country in South Asia is going through similar problems. The telecom industry is also undergoing massive changes and security risks are increasing. For digital transformation, we have to work to ensure quality customer service and digital services, especially South Asia’s regulatory challenges are more than those of the Western world. He said, there are various challenges to include everyone in the digital transformation. We need to identify these issues and find opportunities. For this, there is no alternative to formulating a good policy together.
Mr. Masanri Kundu, Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunication Community, said that the objective of the workshop is to share insights, experiences and best practices among member countries. This will provide valuable insights into the challenges, opportunities and potential developments among regulators, which will contribute to the regulatory and policy formulation of member countries. He thanked BTRC for organizing the event in an orderly manner.
Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokar, Member, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Chairman of SATRC Workshop on Policy, Regulation and Services, said that telecommunication services play a vital role in social and economic development and are essential for a country. Collaborative efforts are needed among all stakeholders to ensure affordable, quality and affordable services for the consumers. The exchange of experiences among all participants in the workshop will take the telecommunication sector of our South Asian region forward.
BTRC Chairman Major General Md. Emdad-ul-Bari (Retd.) said that countries in the region are adopting technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, along with improving digital infrastructure and strengthening consumer protection. These steps, if taken through a mutual regional coordination rather than in isolation, will accelerate national progress. He said that like other neighboring countries, Bangladesh has also made visible progress in expanding mobile coverage, digitizing services, and financial inclusion through digital platforms. He expressed hope that the exchange of experiences and knowledge gained from each other’s challenges and successes in this workshop will play a role in jointly charting the course for the future.
The first day of the three-day workshop discussed various sessions on addressing the challenges faced by regulators in the field of fixed and mobile broadband in the era of future emerging technologies, appropriate use of Universal Service Regulation Fund for digital inclusion, recommendations, strategies and implications, and progress in regulating ICT e-waste management for sustainable development.
On the second day, experts will share their views in various sessions on Digital Consumer Protection: Addressing the Challenges of Online Scams and Financial Fraud; Shaping Future Tariff Policy: Analyzing the Impact of Convergence and Emerging Telecom/ICT Services in the South Asian Region; Smart Cities and Societies: Experiences and Case Studies in South Asian Countries in Deploying IoT, Big Data and Similar Technologies. On the third day, Net Neutrality in Developing Countries: Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Directions; Digital Transformation in Countries Under the auspices of South Asian Regulatory Bodies will be discussed.
The South Asian Telecommunication Regulatory Council (SATRC) was established in 1997 by the South Asian telecommunications regulatory bodies. This body coordinates radio spectrum coordination, standardization, regulatory trends, telecommunications sector development strategies, and sets action plans on regional cooperation and international issues of importance in telecommunications. Various workshops and symposiums, including the Council’s conference, are held every year on important issues of interest to member countries.
