The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) streamlined the process for establishing Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) near international border areas. The newly issued "Guidelines for Installation of BTS in International Border Areas of Bangladesh-2025" aim to reduce approval time and simplify procedures compared to the 2021 policy.
Under the revised guidelines, BTS installation in border districts other than Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, and Cox’s Bazar now requires approval solely from BTRC for locations within zero to three kilometers of the border. Previously, operators had to secure permissions from multiple agencies, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Directorate General of Defense Intelligence (DGFI), and the Directorate of National Security Intelligence.
For installations within three to eight kilometers of the border in these areas, only BTRC approval is necessary. However, in Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, and Cox's Bazar, applications must still be submitted to the Armed Forces Department (AFD) for towers within zero to three kilometers of the border. If the AFD does not respond within 45 days, the lack of feedback will be considered a no-objection, allowing the installation to proceed.
The revised policy removes mandatory timeframes for feedback from security agencies and introduces provisions to notify relevant authorities post-approval. Any objections from security agencies will be addressed following the Cellular Mobile Operator Licensing Guidelines.
This update is expected to expedite mobile infrastructure development in border areas, ensuring smoother operations for telecom operators while maintaining necessary security protocols.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
