Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
Abbreviation | BTRC |
---|---|
Formation | 2002 |
Purpose | Regulate telecommunication in Bangladesh |
Headquarters | Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka |
Region served | Bangladesh |
Official language | Bengali |
Chairman | Major General Md. Emdad-Ul-Bari |
Parent organization | Posts and Telecommunications Division |
Website | www |
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ টেলিযোগাযোগ নিয়ন্ত্রণ কমিশন) is an independent group. It was created by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Act in 2001.[1] The BTRC controls all things related to telecommunications in Bangladesh, like phone lines, cell phones, satellites, and cable.[2] The leader of the BTRC is like a judge of the Bangladesh High Court.[3]
History
[change | change source]In 1979, the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board was created by an ordinance.[4] This ordinance was revised in 1995.
The BTRC started on 31 January 2002. Its goal was to make telecommunication services affordable and to increase the number of telephones to at least 10 per 100 people by 2010. This was amended in 2010 with a new Telecommunication Act. In 2016, the Bangladesh government increased the salaries of the commission members and chairman twice.[5]
Censorship
[change | change source]In March 2013, Human Rights Watch and others criticised the BTRC for blocking access to some websites of "atheist bloggers."[6][7] One of the blocked blogs belonged to Asif Mohiuddin, who had been attacked in January. The following month, Mohiuddin was arrested along with three other bloggers.[8][9]
Chairmen
[change | change source]Sl No. | Name | Term Start | Term End | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Syed Margub Murshed | 31 January 2002 | 30 January 2005 | [10] |
2. | Muhammad Omar Farooq | 31 March 2005 | 15 March 2007 | [10] |
3. | Major General Manzurul Alam | 22 April 2007 | 10 February 2009 | [10] |
4. | Major General Zia Ahmed | 26 February 2009 | 10 September 2012 | [10] |
5. | Md. Giashuddin Ahmed | 10 September 2012 | 22 October 2012 | [10] |
6. | Sunil Kanti Bose | 23 October 2012 | 23 September 2015 | [11][12] |
7. | Shahjahan Mahmood | 24 September 2015 | 1 September 2018 | [12] |
8. | Md Jahurul Haque | 31 January 2019 | 4 December 2020 | [13][14] |
9. | Shyam Sunder Sikder | 14 December 2020 | 11 December 2023 | [14] |
10. | Md Mohiuddin Ahmed | 11 December 2023 | 19 August 2024 | [14] |
11. | Major General Md. Emdad-Ul-Bari | 10 September 2024 | [15] |
Gallery
[change | change source]-
Under Construction in BTRC Building
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Under Construction in BTRC Building Southwest side
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Under Construction in BTRC Building Southeast side
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "BTRC a key organisation in building Smart Bangladesh: State Minister Palak". 6 December 2023.
- ↑ "BTRC chairman to enjoy status of HC judge". UNB. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ↑ "Comissioners". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ↑ "Vision & History". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ Ahmed, Shamim. "Salaries 'to double' for BTRC chief, commissioners". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
- ↑ "Bangladesh: Crackdown on Bloggers, Editors Escalates". Human Rights Watch. 15 April 2013.
- ↑ Arafatul Islam (25 March 2013). "Bangladesh gags award-winning blogger". Deutsche-Welle.
- ↑ "Blogger Asif Mohiuddin arrested over "blasphemous" blog posts". Reporters Without Borders. 3 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ↑ "4 held over attempt to kill blogger". The Daily Star. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "Previous Comissioners". Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ "Sunil Kanti Bose is new BTRC Chairman". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "MNP will solve call drops menace, says outgoing BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ "BTRC gets new chairman". The Daily Star. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Shyam Sunder Sikder made BTRC chairman". Dhaka Tribune. 2020-12-14. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ↑ "Major General Emdad ul Bari appointed as BTRC chairman". The Business Standard. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.