Bangladesh, the then territory of British India got very limited introduction of telecommunication. The Telegraph Act of 1885 was the first legislation on this evolving technology service. It was further enhanced by the wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933.
Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board Ordinance of 1979 created the constitutional body “for the purpose of efficient management, operation and development of telegraphs and telephones in Bangladesh”.
The BTTB Ordinance of 1979 was further revised in 1995 and the responsibilities of managing the total telecommunications. BTTB remained as the sole provider of basic telecommunication services. Then came the era of convergence! Telephony broke the barrier of traditional means of just voice conversations. Too many elements got part of the platform-mobile, PSTN, data, internet, imaging, messaging, media, entertaining, banking, advertising etc.
The liberalization of Bangladesh Telecommunications Sector began with small steps in 1989 with the issuance of a license to a private operator for the provision of inter alia cellular mobile services to complete with the previous monopoly provider of Telecommunications services the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB). Significant changes in the number of fixed & mobile services deployed in Bangladesh occurred in the late 1990 and the number of services in operation have subsequently grown exponentially in the past few years. The initiatives both from government and public sector have helped to grow this sector.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Act of 2001 is the outcome of such booming development of technology and service parameters.
