The TowerCo Build Forum 2025 brought together key stakeholders from Bangladesh's telecommunications infrastructure sector on Thursday to underscore the urgent need for capacity building and the development of future-ready digital infrastructure.
Held at a city hotel in Dhaka, the forum was introduced publicly for the first time as a platform for industry leaders to address challenges and share insights.
Major General (Retd) Md Emdad ul Bari, Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), attended the event as the chief guest.
Representatives from all four licensed companies in the tower sector -- EDOTCO Bangladesh, Summit Towers, Frontier Towers, and ATC Tower --participated in the forum. The event also marked the official announcement of the newly formed Bangladesh TowerCo Association.
A panel discussion featuring the four TowerCo licensees highlighted current sectoral challenges and outlined future priorities.
BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd) Md Emdad ul Bari said, "The main driver of the digital economy is the telecommunication industry. Collaboration among stakeholders is crucial to propel the industry forward, and therefore, coordination and cooperation are essential."
He added, "We are unlocking new business opportunities by ensuring transparency through the proposed National Infrastructure and Connectivity Service Provider (NICSP) policy. We are placing utmost importance on assessing and monitoring the efficiency of existing industry entities."
Senior telecom officials welcomed BTRC's new licensing initiative and the proposed NICSP framework as timely and pioneering, noting that it would help foster an inclusive and efficient infrastructure. However, they expressed concerns over transparency and the complexity of policy implementation.
Speakers called for the urgent resolution of long-standing issues, including site acquisition complexities, sustainable fuel usage, disparities in Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and In-Building Solutions (IBS), inadequate indoor coverage, and battery theft.
Sunil Isaac, Country Managing Director of EDOTCO Bangladesh, noted, "Investors are now looking for market assurance, policy predictability, and most importantly, consistency across the ecosystem."
Sirajus Salehin, CEO of Frontier Towers, remarked, "There are several challenges in this sector, including tower acquisition and uninterrupted fuel supply. The TowerCo Association will serve as a timely platform to address these issues."
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